The Power of Allowing Struggle: Leonardo Freixas on Trusting Your Team’s Problem-Solving

In a recent LinkedIn post, Leonardo Freixas shares a powerful observation about leadership, focusing on the crucial difference between solving problems for a team and trusting them to solve their own. Freixas recounts a vivid scenario he witnessed, illustrating how allowing individuals to navigate their own challenges can foster greater confidence and capability.

The Observation: A Lesson in Applied Leadership

Freixas sets the scene with a striking image: a man deliberately stepping over barrier tape, followed by a child who immediately becomes entangled. Instead of intervening, the man, a presumed leader figure, adopts a stance of patient observation. This deliberate inaction, Freixas argues, is the hallmark of effective leadership.

“He waits. The child twists. Pulls. Fights the tape. Gets more tangled. Then breaks through. Stands up. Dusts off. Walks forward with confidence earned, not given.”

This narrative serves as a metaphor for how leaders should approach their teams. Freixas emphasizes that the leader’s role is not to remove obstacles directly but to foster an environment where the team member can overcome them independently. As Leonardo Freixas notes, the leader’s presence and belief in the individual are more impactful than immediate rescue.

Rethinking Intervention: Trust Over Rescue

The core of Freixas’s message revolves around a leader’s belief in their team’s inherent ability to find solutions. He challenges the conventional notion that a leader’s primary function is to smooth the path for their subordinates. Instead, Freixas suggests that true leadership lies in demonstrating faith in the team’s capacity to learn and grow through their struggles.

According to Leonardo Freixas, the instinct to immediately solve a team member’s problem, while often well-intentioned, can inadvertently undermine their development. By stepping in, leaders risk denying their team members the opportunity to develop resilience, problem-solving skills, and the deep-seated confidence that comes from overcoming adversity themselves.

“Your team doesn’t need you to solve their problems. They need you to believe they can solve them.”

Freixas posits that this belief from leadership is a critical, often overlooked, component of building strong, capable individuals and, by extension, a high-performing team. It shifts the focus from task completion to personal and professional growth.

The Leader’s Question: When to Help, When to Trust

The leadership principle Freixas advocates for is not about withholding support entirely, but about discerning the right moment and method of support. It’s about understanding that sometimes, the most valuable assistance a leader can offer is the space and trust for their team to figure things out.

The Impact of Earned Confidence

Freixas highlights the profound difference between confidence that is given and confidence that is earned. When a leader steps in and solves a problem, the team member might feel relieved, but they haven’t necessarily grown. However, when they struggle, persevere, and ultimately succeed on their own, the resulting confidence is far more robust and enduring.

“Great leaders don’t untangle the tape. They trust you to find your own way through.”

This perspective encourages leaders to re-evaluate their reactions to team challenges. Leonardo Freixas challenges leaders with a crucial question that gets to the heart of this philosophy:

“The question isn’t whether you can help. It’s whether you should.”

This sentiment underscores the importance of strategic non-intervention, positioning leaders as facilitators of growth rather than constant problem-solvers. By trusting their teams to navigate difficulties, leaders empower them, foster resilience, and cultivate a culture where individuals feel capable and confident in their abilities.