Whose 'trouble' are you avoiding with the perfect manual?

'How should I proceed with this matter?' 'An irregularity occurred, what should I do?'

Questions from young staff that always seem to fly in just when you're busy.

'I've taught you something similar before, haven't I...' While sighing deeply in my heart, I end up teaching them the answer step by step.

And then, over the weekend, I secretly create a perfect FAQ and manual.

'If they just look at this, they shouldn't ask me anymore.' As I prepare ahead like that, I am sometimes struck by an indescribable sense of emptiness.

'Why am I doing all this again?'

While I say, 'It's okay to fail, so think for yourself,' in truth, it's because it's a hassle to teach them every single thing.

Waiting is exhausting, and I'm the one who has to clean up the mess. So, I prepare all the answers so they don't have to stop.

I thought this was just like a high-performance 'car navigation system'.

If you enter the destination, it takes you on the shortest route without getting lost. The driver doesn't have to think about anything, and I, in the passenger seat, don't have to be asked for directions every time.

But, the roads you drive while relying entirely on a car navigation system are roads you will never be able to drive on your own.

In the world of mountaineering, it's like 'taking someone to the summit by helicopter'.

Certainly, you can show them the spectacular view in the fastest way without letting them get hurt. But if you tell someone who has never climbed a rocky path on their own feet or searched for a trail while out of breath, 'Climb the next mountain by yourself,' there is no way they can do it.

In psychology, there is a term called 'cognitive miser'.

It sounds a bit difficult, but in short, it means 'humans are creatures that try to use as little brain energy as possible and take the easy way out'.

'A subordinate who finds it a hassle to think for themselves' and 'a boss who finds it a hassle to teach every single thing'.

Actually, both were driven by the exact same psychology of 'wanting to take it easy'.

Perhaps I was enriching the FAQ not for the growth of my subordinates, but simply because I wanted to avoid my own trouble. When I realized that fact, I felt a little ashamed.

Anticipating needs in pursuit of efficiency is by no means a bad thing. But what if that 'too-kind car navigation system' is, as a result, robbing the other person of the 'opportunity to learn the way'?

Whose 'trouble' are you trying to avoid with the answer you are preparing right now, thinking it's for the best?

How about you?

Huh!? If that's the case, how can we train new employees faster?