Then What Do You Think You Should Do?

Writing for the Southside Times again feels a little different. I had the privilege of writing for Rick Myers and this publication for nearly 20 years. Rick, who passed away a couple of years ago, believed in our Southside communities, loved connecting with people, and believed there was still value in putting words on paper and placing that paper in someone’s hands. So, when Rick’s wife, Cathy, decided to bring the paper back after about a year, I was excited to return and write this column.

A lot has changed in a year. Social media has changed how we communicate, Google has almost anything you need to know at our fingertips, and now AI is providing answers to complex questions in seconds. They are incredible tools, and I use them. But having access to more answers doesn’t necessarily make us better thinkers.

That’s why one of the questions I ask my team most often is: “Then what do you think you should do?”

Most of the time, when someone brings me a problem, they already have an idea. They just aren’t confident enough to say it. They overthink it, worry it won’t work or assume someone else has a better answer. I often say, I hire people because they have a brain and can think. My job as a leader isn’t to think for them. It’s to help them become the best version of themselves. I wasn’t always good at that. When we started our business, I was involved in just about everything. Giving people the answer was often faster. Eventually, I realized you can’t scale a business that way.

Those of us who grew up in the 1970s and ’80s may remember the Shell Answer Man. Google it! Shell’s commercials featured an expert who seemed to have an answer for every driving problem. I use the Shell Answer Man as an example of what I don’t think we should be as a leader. If you become the person with every answer, pretty soon you have a line outside your door. You may solve today’s problem, but you aren’t helping people learn how to solve tomorrows.

Which brings me back to my question, “What do you think you should do? Followed by “Have you dealt with this before?” and “What did you do then?” Often, people know the answer. They need help thinking it through, trusting themselves and taking action. That’s how confidence is built.

There is another side to this. Leaders can’t read minds. If you don’t know what to do, ask. If you need direction or support, say so. Leaders have a responsibility to communicate, listen, and develop people. Team members have a responsibility to think, speak up, ask for help, and take ownership.

I’ve learned that a great leader isn’t someone who simply tells people what to do. A great leader helps people figure out how to succeed on their own.

So, the next time someone brings you a problem, before giving them the answer, try asking: “Then what do you think you should do?”

This article is written by Mike Heffner, the owner of the local Greenwood Express Employment Professionals. Contact at Mike.Heffner@expresspros.com, follow at @IndySouthMike on X, or subscribe to his blog at mike-heffner.com. You can also visit ExpressIndySouth.com.