Sarah, the owner of a busy consulting firm, found her days consumed by an endless stream of questions from her team. “Sarah, what should I do about this client reply?” “Sarah, we're out of toner—can I order more?” By noon, her own priorities had vanished.

One Monday, after yet another day of interruptions, Sarah decided to break the pattern.

The next morning, when her marketing lead knocked on the door, question at the ready, Sarah paused. “Before I answer, tell me your top two solutions to this problem.” The marketing lead, slightly taken aback, thought for a moment—then produced two practical ideas. Sarah picked the best, encouraged her to implement it, and thanked her for taking initiative.

Sarah didn't stop there. Every query she received that week—big or small—got the same response: “What are your top two solutions?” At first, her team hesitated. They were used to getting instant answers.

But gradually, they started arriving with options, not just problems. Within three weeks, two things happened. The questions slowed to a trickle. Team members grew more confident, knowing they were empowered to bring forward recommendations—not just issues.

Sarah finally reclaimed vital time for strategy and high-value work. This “two-solution rule” turned a culture of dependency into one of ownership. It gave Sarah's people the confidence to trust their judgement—and gave Sarah the headspace to lead, not firefight.

If you're overwhelmed by staff questions, don't just answer them. Ask for two solutions first. You'll be surprised at how quickly independence and confidence take root.

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