April 25, 2024
What is one of the worst traits a leader can have? According to a poll we released on LinkedIn about a month ago, it is micromanaging.
Overall, micromanagement can lead to employees feeling uninspired, overwhelmed, and tired, Forbes explains.
As an employee, it can feel demoralizing to have someone constantly looking over your shoulder while you are working—feeling like everything you do is being judged. This type of supervision often results in employees feeling like they are not trusted in the workplace, leading skilled employees to find new work environments where they are valued.
That being said, it can be difficult for newly promoted leaders to let go. And understandably so. They are used to completing tasks themselves, having trust and confidence in their capabilities and knowing they can execute a task well.
However, leaders have to guide others to do a great job. It is no longer about the task but about the people. Achieving results has a new meaning and while getting the task done is still part of the equation, it becomes more about the pathway there.
Leaders are looked to for guidance and direction. They will often have the purview of the larger organization’s goals and are responsible for supporting their team’s success in line with those goals. So, even though it may be difficult initially to loosen the reins a bit when first stepping into a leadership role, it is absolutely necessary.
Think about it: How on earth can a leader focus of larger organizational goals while simultaneously completing and monitoring their entire team’s tasks? They cannot and they should not want to. The beautiful part of being a leader is helping your team and organization by taking on the creative, bigger picture thinking to make meaningful change.
The reality is that micromanaging is not only detrimental for employees, but to leaders as well. This is because one of the consequences of micromanaging is that leaders usually end up being unproductive. Learning how to delegate is a crucial skill every leader should become comfortable doing (and this is of course easier when the workplace is filled with happy employees who are valued and trusted).
Here are five tips to help you guide rather than micromanage:
- Connect with your team members: If you suspect you have been micromanaging, you need to determine how it’s affecting your team. And you might have to rebuild some trust. It is worth keeping in mind that employees will rarely provide honest feedback directly to a superior, so you may need to indirectly determine where your micromanaging is impeding progress.
Try asking your team members to describe what they have on the go and/or what they need help with. Really listen to what they have to say (take notes and summarize what you heard). They may be reluctant to ask for help as they might be concerned that you will micromanage them more. This may mean that they want some space. Give them room to do their work and reconnect later.
Connecting with your team in this manner will help open the channel for communication and develop a better understanding of roles. It also offers a chance to set expectations and build the trust needed for productivity and happiness.
- Provide adequate training: You might be fussing over every miniscule detail because you are not confident in your team’s level of training. If you feel like your team members cannot complete tasks to your desired standard or are asking for help, it might be a good time to introduce some more training opportunities.
- Discuss expectations: It is also possible that your team members simply do not know what is expected of them. In such cases, it is helpful to clearly outline expectations, oftentimes through concrete example of other successful projects and tasks. After this, you can set up regular check-in points to monitor progress in a way that will not be construed as micromanagement.
- Focus on the end result: You have probably encountered situations where you just cannot accept how somebody else does what you used to do. You are convinced that nobody can do as good a job as you did, hence your obsession with micromanaging them. It is important to remember that people are different and have different ways of thinking, processing information, and formulating solutions. Be mindful that different pathways often still lead to great outcomes. Therefore, it is most helpful to force yourself to be open-minded and try focusing on the end result.
- Appreciate the learning process: To become more open-minded and understanding, try reflecting on what you went through before you became a master at what you do. You probably had to go through a period of training, trial and error, and several corrections before you started performing at a high level. If you do not give your team members the same opportunity to learn and grow on their own, chances are they will never get it right!
One of your main goals should be to generate the most productivity throughout the day. However, that will not happen if you spend your days micromanaging your team members’ every move. Being an effective and respected leader entails trusting the people you work with. It’s about removing the barriers that slow the team down. By doing so, you will not only optimize your time by delegating more tasks, but also empower your team enabling them to do their best work.
At Stratesco Group, we start by training leaders to think like leaders. We believe that mindset is foundational to learning new skills and applying them to reach each goal. Through the SoftSkillableTM Member Experience program, we help our clients understand their current style and bridge any gaps to help them become great leaders.
Book a call with us to learn more about how you can lead with confidence, work under less stress, and generate better results.
Featured photo by TarlkVision from iStock.
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