I have lots of managers ask, “How do I get rid of the parade in my office?” You know this parade. It’s the constant stream of questions from those who should be thinking on their own. Stealing a page out of the teacher playbook, I recommend these managers use think-alouds.
Allow me to explain. When someone approaches with a problem they should be resolving themselves, ask them to think it through out-loud in front of you. Then wait. Their first response might be disbelief. “You want me to do what?” Reinforce the request. Explain to them that this is a problem to solve on their own, “so let’s work it through together.”
It might take some coaxing. After all, some may view it as their competence being questioned. (“I am not a child.”) Diplomacy is the key here. But if you persist by refusing to give them the solution, most will grudgingly relent. Some will embrace the process once they get the point and play along. They know you’re trying to help. The more prideful might say, “Never mind. I’ll go figure it out myself,” and walk off. That’s okay. You might ask them later how they resolved the issue.
Think-alouds accomplish three objectives: 1) You get to see how the person approaches problem solving, 2) You can catch a missed step or mistaken assumption early on, 3) You witness the sense of success when the solution dawns on them. Make think-alouds a daily practice and the parade in your office will be reduced to a few clowns in a funny car.
My wife, a university dean, asks her students “Have you ever grown without discomfort?” Once we get past our pride, laziness or whatever dodge we’re relying on, we all think better, don’t you think?