There are leaders out there who set their team up for failure by creating an environment of constriction and entrapment. It’s as if they are building a case against the very people who are trying to serve them.

Here’s how you can tell if you may be inadvertently creating this kind of environment:

_____ Do you give your team members space for creativity and allow them to develop solutions, or do you simply tell them what to do and nail them if they don’t do it exactly your way?

_____ Do your team members know you have their backs just as much as they have yours? Or do they know that if something goes wrong, you will throw them under the bus?

_____ Do you allow your people to work freely within their strengths zones and listen to their ideas?

_____ Do you value their skills as much as your own?

_____ Do you feel like you not only have to tell your people what to do, you have to tell them how and when – and then monitor to be sure they comply?

As leaders, we are responsible for setting up an environment for success. And the way we do that is to strive to constantly set others up – not for failure – but for success. This is the most honorable part of being a leader.

The old days of corporate hierarchy are fading fast. Today’s business environment is much more collaborative, and wise is the leader who realizes the value of those in each area of specialization. The fact is, no one person knows everything, and we need a strong team to collectively do the work that needs to be done. We leaders don’t have all the answers, and that’s okay. But we need to have a team that does.

I challenge you to ask yourself if you are setting up your team to succeed by allowing them to work within their strengths zones and develop creative solutions. Are you trusting them to do the work? Do you respect their individual skills and collaborate on ideas?

Creating an environment of success for your team is based on trust, respect, and recognition of individual strengths. And when your team is successful, it means you are as well.