Leadership Isn’t About Having all the Answers

By Jeremy Bates, Chairman of the Board 

When onboarding a new employee at Bates Security, before we joined Pye-Barker Fire & Safety, I always set aside an hour with the new team member to go over our company history, culture, principles, goals, and strategies—the foundational elements that defined us as a company. During those meetings, I always emphasized one key principle: we were open to any idea that made us a better organization. It didn’t matter where the idea came from—whether it was mine, top leadership, a frontline technician, or our newest hire. All that mattered was finding the best idea to help us reach our full potential. 

I bring this up because, contrary to what society often tells us, effective leaders don’t need to have all the answers. Nor do they need to single-handedly generate the next big breakthrough. Whether you manage a small team, a department, or an entire division, real leadership is about surrounding yourself with the right people—a team that collectively possesses the answers or knows how to find them for whatever challenge lies ahead. 

A leader must be humble enough to recognize that they don’t know everything and will occasionally make mistakes. Strong leaders who build capable teams foster a culture centered on collaboration and continuous process improvement, which ultimately delivers exceptional service to both internal stakeholders and external clients. They empower their people to make decisions—and even to make mistakes. This empowerment speeds up decision-making, improves outcomes, and develops the next generation of leaders your organization will need in the future. 

The belief that a manager or executive must solve every problem and be involved in every decision is a heavy, unsustainable burden. Worse, it creates bottlenecks where things don’t get done because people are waiting on you to make every decision. I’ve seen many leaders struggle to trust that others can perform at high standards, and early on, I struggled with that same challenge. But the more autonomy you grant your team, the more capable, confident, and self-sufficient they become. 

Everyone has heard the old adage: you need to take time to work on your business, not just in your business. Ultimately, realizing you don’t always have to have the answer frees you up from being trapped in day-to-day tactical execution so you can focus on strategic leadership. It allows you to become a better leader—giving you the space to inspire your team, set bold goals, and trust your people to execute them. 

Is this the right answer? I don’t know! You tell me!