One simple question that changes how your team will see you

Have you ever tried to give ownership to someone but they refuse to take it?  It's not uncommon when working with younger or inexperienced leaders for an experienced leader to take on all the responsibilities.

Which is a leadership death wish. 

If you're looking around your team today and you feel like you're carrying the weight of the burden it might be because of two things:

1.  Your team doesn't buy into you

2.  Your team doesn't believe in themselves

John C. Maxwell would remind us that before someone buys into our vision, they buy into the leader first.  And Patrick Lencioni would remind us the first dysfunction of at team would be absence of trust.  

Through a lot of failures I've discovered the remedy to both these issues is a simple question:

"What do you think we should do?"

It's my go to when I want someone to have a higher level of buy in or I want someone to believe in themselves a little more.  Because asking this question speaks both into the life of someone else.  This question communicates: 1.  I think you are capable, 2.  I believe in you, and 3.  I trust your opinion.

Have you tried it lately?