Susan Drumm explains how leaders who constantly say yes and step in for their teams create dependency instead of growth. What feels like support becomes enablement, leaving leaders exhausted and their teams unable to develop.
Are you the one that people count on? You know, the go-to, the helper, the heart of the team. Your strength is your availability and willingness to jump in. But if you're stretched too thin, quietly resentful, or leading with a smile that hides exhaustion, this isn't support anymore. It's become survival. So here's a pattern I see in generous leaders. You jump in before people ask, or you anticipate needs. You say yes even when your plate is full. You hold it all because being needed feels like being valued. But that constant giving, well, it teaches your team to lean on you, not grow themselves, and it creates dependence, not development. And over time, your empathy turns into enablement. They don't just see your exhaustion, they see your yeses because you've trained them to expect it. Not because they're selfish, but because you never showed them your limits and boundaries. Support isn't about doing it all. It's about knowing when to step in and when to step back.
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