Ask before you answer

The manager reflex: solve it fast. The coaching move: slow down just enough to learn what is actually happening. Use Reality questions before Options: What have you tried? What is making this harder than expected? What is the cost of waiting? What are you assuming? These questions turn a request for rescue into a short diagnostic. This does not mean you never tell. If the person is new, the risk is high, or the deadline is fixed, be direct. But when the situation can safely become practice, the better answer is often one question away.

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