Steve Lowisz warns against the “rescuer” leadership style—leaders who habitually solve team members’ problems for them because it’s faster. He argues this creates dependence rather than independence and recommends leaders teach team members how to solve problems rather than doing it for them.
I've worked with the CEO for a number of years, three or four years. This guy is like the nicest guy you will ever meet. Like, you can ask him for anything and he will say yes. He is what I would call a rescuer. He's got an open door policy. Anybody can come in at any time. Now that sounds like Leadership 101. Stop it. Stop it. Why? What is the inadvertent thing that if, when we do this wrong, that creates a rescuer? Somebody brings you a problem, what do you do with the problem? You solve it. Because it takes you 12 seconds, and it might take them three minutes. What's the problem with doing that? You're creating dependence, not independence. Now, I'm not saying to shut your door. What I'm suggesting is that don't solve other people's problems. Teach them how to solve the problem.
