When an employee comes to you with a problem, it’s natural to think “How can I solve this problem?”

You can be an impactful leader by asking these instead:

What system improvements will prevent this problem in the future?

How do I want to influence my relationship with the person in this?

How do I want to advance the development of the person through this?

As for the immediate problem, ask the employee “What options do you see and which do you recommend?”