Are You Rescuing or Mentoring?
This week, in a coaching session, a client and I dug into a pattern I see often with agency leaders: stepping in as the rescuer instead of showing up as the mentor.
Here’s the difference:
A rescuer jumps in to fix, to save the day, to keep things moving.
A mentor steps back, asks questions, and lets the team member find their way to a solution.
Rescuing may feel faster in the moment, but it quietly erodes confidence.
Your team starts to second-guess themselves because they know you’ll step in. So they can step away. And your own confidence as a leader takes a hit, because deep down you’re reinforcing the belief that only you can do it.
Mentoring, on the other hand, instills confidence on both sides.
Your team learns to trust their own judgment and grows stronger with every decision. And you grow more confident in your leadership, knowing you don’t need to hold it all — because your team can rise.
That awareness — of when you’re rescuing versus mentoring — is where change begins. For you and your team.
From there, you can choose differently.
Where do you notice yourself rescuing when you could be mentoring instead?
Helping agency owners build trusted, confident teams is at the core of my coaching. If you’d like to see how I can support you, you can explore my Services here.