How Much Time Do You Waste Answering Employees Questions?

How much time do you waste answering employee questions?

Think about it - 20%, 50% - whatever it is, I suggest it is a waste of your time (and theirs).

It is easy to do, the lazy way, the way we have been taught to be good managers - open door policy--- if you have a question come on in!!!!! 

In essence, answering questions is counterproductive to building a great business and a great team. If you want the right people, doing the right things, right, you must stop answering questions and start coaching!

In short, you still can have an open door policy and should encourage people to come to you when they are unsure of what to do. But stop mindlessly answering their questions.

Today - they come in mindlessly, ask their question you give them the answer and they go do it. They learned nothing, they think you want them to come ask, they leave with no accountability for what they are about to do - you told them to do it.

Tomorrow - ask them if you were not here what would they do or what would they intend to do?

Now they have to think about what to do before they come to you. You ask them what they intend to do, they tell you, 90% of the time you say great and they go do it. The difference? They learn because they have to think about the right answer, they will come back less and less as you reinforce their decisions as being good ones, and they leave taking ownership of the results because it was their idea.

It is a little more time taken up front, but over time you will have a great team of people doing the right things , right - without you having to answer questions all day.