In our modern working environment we must guard against the temptation to become a ‘helicopter leader’. Instead of making ‘benevolent’ decisions on behalf of our colleagues we need to create conditions where we help them to make decisions for themselves and to deal with challenges in a successful manner. Now this is more difficult than just simply handing over the controls. But if a leader truly aspires to create an environment where everyone doesn’t just look to them to come up with the solution, or to pick up the problems as they arise, then they need to climb out of the helicopter and get ‘alongside’ their colleagues in a true spirit of partnership – with a view to setting them free.