Why you should just shut up

Close to every business owner I ever talked either had or used to have this problem.

And it’s really easy to figure out if you have it too:

Are you still involved in the day-to-day of your business?

Yes? Is it because your team simply can’t find solutions to the problems they run into?

Also yes?

Then I have both good and bad news for you.

Let’s start with the bad news today:

Your team is dependent on you, which means you’re trapped in a hamster wheel. A really stressful one.

The good news? I have can tell you both the reason and the solution for the problem

It starts with how you structure your meetings.

Because most people instinctively do it like this:

1. You start by laying out the issue you want to fix.

2. You share your take on it.

3. You ask your team for their input.

But this approach is quietly sabotaging your company.

Because the moment you present a solution, you’re serving it to your team on a silver platter—without them having to do any real thinking.

And let’s be real:

If you're hungry, would you rather eat something someone else made, even if it’s not exactly what you wanted, or would you spend two hours cooking your own meal?

Everyone would take the easier option.

Brainstorming meetings work the same way. If you’ve already given your team a solution, why would they bother coming up with their own?

Even worse, you’re training them to rely on your input for everything.

If they never experience the success of their own ideas, they won’t build the confidence to make decisions.

So, what’s the fix?

It’s simple: shut up for a while.

Lay out the problem, then stop talking until everyone else has presented their solutions.

This way, you get a variety of fresh ideas, no one is biased by your perspective, and your team actually learns to think independently.

Try it in your next meeting and see for yourself.

Cheers,

Tyler