You Got Promoted—Now Stop Doing Your Old Job
Even the most successful and confident leaders can feel unmoored when transitioning into a new role from one where they have been very successful. You may suddenly feel unsure, exposed, or even out of your depth. It can trigger self-doubt—even a sense of impostor syndrome—and a strong urge to retreat into familiar territory. Now imagine doing that while managing former peers, one of whom has your old job.
When we feel unsettled, it’s natural to seek reassurance in familiarity. That can mean slipping back into your old role, solving problems for your successor and team rather than coaching them to problem-solve. You tell yourself that you’re supporting them—that’s what good leaders do, right? But it can be a trap.
When you reclaim tasks that now belong to someone else:
You steal time away from important growth in your new role.
You inadvertently stifle your team’s growth by creating dependency instead of fostering independent thinking, innovation, and critical thinking skills.
You weaken both your leadership pipeline and your own executive impact.
A recent HBR article by Elizabeth Lotardo, “Stop Solving Your Team’s Problems for Them,” offers a simple but powerful framework to help leaders shift from being the fixer to becoming a multiplier (as Liz Wiseman describes). It’s not just about developing your team—it’s about allowing yourself to lead at the next level.
Elizabeth Lotardo poses five empowering questions to use with your team:
What have you tried?
Encourages initiative before escalation. Over time, it trains your team to come prepared with ideas.
What or who is getting in the way?
Identifies barriers, patterns, or systemic issues that may need attention.
What support do you need?
Opens the door to broader support networks beyond just you as the manager.
What would you do if you were in my seat?
Invites them into the decision-making process and builds strategic thinking.
Is there anything else I should know?
Maintains open communication without assuming ownership of the issue.
For Your Self-Reflection:
Where might you be unintentionally rewarding dependency in your team?
Which of these questions could you begin using this week in a 1:1 or team meeting?
What mindset shift do you need to make to step back from solving and lean into coaching?
What would it look like if your team solved more problems independently?
What conversations are on your calendar this week where you could practice this approach?