This is part 5 of a series of 18 articles I wrote for Entrepreneur.com.

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This one’s hard. Really hard. Especially when you can see the mistake coming from a mile away.

But here’s what I’ve learned: every time you swoop in with the “right” answer, you rob someone of the chance to develop their own judgment. The goal isn’t to protect people from failure — it’s to create a safe-enough environment where failure becomes a teacher, not a career-ender.

The key is calibrating risk. Low-stakes decision? Let them own it completely. High-stakes? Stay closer, but still resist the urge to take the wheel. When someone makes the wrong call on a small project, that’s not a problem — it’s a tuition-free education. Coach through the aftermath instead of preventing the experience.

People who’ve been allowed to fail make better leaders. Full stop.

Read the full article on Entrepreneur.com

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Previously: Should I Tell My Boss About This? | Next up: The Delegation Trap