From time to time, anyone who has spent years developing their instincts, experience and skills… needs a reminder like this:

Don’t add too much value!

This is a concept popularized by my friend, top executive coach Marshall Goldsmith. He explains that this trap is often a result of leaders being used to being in control and having their opinions heard. But when people are constantly offering their opinions and solutions, it can create chaos, stifle creative thinking, and lead to a lack of trust and open communication.

Your role isn’t to demonstrate—again and again—that you are the wisest and best-qualified.

Your role is to enable the people around you to learn, grow and accomplish more than they ever could have without you. As someone once said, a great leader enables ordinary people to do extraordinary things.

It’s quite easy to take up all the air in a room. The odds are high that you’ve been here before, confronted a similar set of circumstances, and can reach conclusions faster than most others.

Don’t.

Let them think through the variables, ask questions, offer opinions, and engage in an intelligent back and forth analysis. Facilitate the process. Help it work better. When necessary, nudge things in a productive direction.

But every time that you solve the problem… that you explain things before others have even had a chance to consider their options… you are adding too much value. You are virtually ensuring that no one else will have the opportunity to make a meaningful difference.

Bring out talent in others. That’s the best talent of all.