The Fine Line Between Supportive Leadership and Creating Dependency

The story begins with Sven, a sales leader, who receives a furious call from a major customer. The order is delayed, the product is damaged, and the discount promised was missing from the invoice. Sven escalates it to his manager, Laura the CRO who agrees to intervene, wanting to be supportive.

They both feel better, briefly. But over time, this pattern repeats. Laura burns out. Sven loses confidence. And results begin to suffer.

This story echoed situations I’ve seen in our FMCG world especially across commercial, trade, and supply chain operations in the Middle East. We operate in fast paced, high stakes environments where acting quickly often feels like the only option. But speed without strategy creates fragility.

Elizabeth’s article doesn’t offer a superficial fix. Instead, she shares five simple, empowering questions that help leaders stay accessible, coach instead of rescue, and build more resilient teams

1. What have you tried? Encourages ownership before escalation.

2. What or who is getting in the way? Helps diagnose root causes without absorbing the problem.

3. What support do you need? Broadens the definition of help beyond just the manager.

4. What would you do if you were in my seat? Promotes strategic thinking and shared responsibility.

5. Is there anything else I should know? Keeps communication open without assuming control.

I’ve started applying these with my own teams, and the shift has been immediate. People come more prepared. Solutions are better thought out. And the mental space it frees up for strategic focus is invaluable.

It’s not about caring less. It’s about leading better.

To quote Elizabeth directly

Only with breathing room can you be a fully compassionate leader. Only when employees feel empowered are they able to independently drive results.

Her piece is a timely reminder that leadership is not about doing it all it’s about creating the space for others to step up.

Full credit to the author Elizabeth Lotardo and Harvard Business Review for this insightful article.

Read it here https //link.hbr.org/view/654a409d13ddf41528e8fac1o9zzi.gvs/ab382f11

Thought

How are you balancing empathy with empowerment in your leadership style?

I’d love to hear your thoughts.

1. Have you experienced this dynamic within your teams?

2. How do you ensure you're supporting without over solving?

3. What practices have helped you build autonomy across functions?

Let’s open the dialogue and share what’s working especially in industries like ours where time, trust, and talent must align under pressure.