Managers who solve every problem teach employees to escalate instead of think. Ask them for their plan first, what they've already tried, and two possible options. Then help them figure out what actually needs your authority versus what they can handle alone.
If employees bring you every problem and wait for you to fix it, you've probably taught them that bringing the problem to you is the solution. So when they say, the client is furious, I don't know what to do, don't say, I'll handle it. Ask instead, what's your plan for solving this issue? If they say, I don't know, that's why I came to you, say, all right, well, give me your best first guess. Still stuck? What have you tried? And what are 2 options from here? And then ask them, which part needs my authority and which part can you handle? Coach them when they genuinely need help. But remember, every problem you instantly solve teaches employees to bring you problems before they've spent even 30 seconds trying to solve them. And then they don't grow.
