I know it feels good when people think you're smart but you gotta let it go if you want to grow.

If you have kids you'll understand this easily. Imagine that your child is doing their homework and they ask you for the answer to a problem they are trying to solve.

If you give them the answer, you're not helping them.

The best thing to do is to encourage them to keep trying. That way they learn to think for themselves and persevere through a challenge.

The second best thing to do is to guide them to a resource so they can find the answer and now where to look next time.

One of my clients has been stuck in his day-to-day operations for a decade now because he failed to approach employee questions in this way. He had pride in knowing everything and would just give his employees the answer.

But what he was really doing was disempowering them and reinforcing dependency on him and his time. That meant he was always busy and couldn't find time to expand his business.

With this small yet profound shift he's now unlocked the key to his freedom of time where he can now focus on what matters most - business growth.

Sometimes it's just one small habit that can change everything. When an employee asks you if you can help answer a question, say no or point them to where the answers are - ideally your operations guide.