One of the most critical elements of leadership is empowerment. Which means “to give control over another’s life and the authority to do something.” The best leaders know it’s their responsibility to allow other people to make decisions where the information is.

The hard part is knowing as the leader; you are ultimately responsible for everything that goes on in your team. However, if you make all the decisions, there is no way your people will reach their full potential, or your team will achieve the level of success you desire.

I hope this story from my experience at Chick-fil-A will help you think about how you are encouraging your people to make decisions on your team. If they aren’t ready to make the correct decisions, it time you think about coaching, mentoring, and developing them so they can.

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About the Author: John Eades is the CEO of LearnLoft, a leadership development company that exists to turn managers into leaders and create healthier places to work. He is currently booking events and speaking engagements for 2020. John was named one of LinkedIn’s 2017 Top Voices in Management & Workplace and was awarded the 2017 Readership Award by Training Industry.com. John is also the host of the “Follow My Lead” Podcast, a show that transfers stories and best practices from today’s leaders to the leaders of tomorrow. You follow him on Instagram @johngeades.