There’s a fine line between managing and micromanaging. On one side is a manager who provides clear direction and allows employees to work autonomously. On the other side is a micromanager who dictates every little detail and insists on being involved in everything. Neither approach is ideal as micromanagement can stifle creativity and productivity, while neglecting to manage can lead to disorganization and chaos. So how do you find the right balance? Here are a few tips for managing without micromanaging.
Be Aware of Power Dynamics in the Workplace
Managing well is difficult. You want to be supportive of your team, but also be careful to make sure they feel like you trust them to get a job done without your direct help. “Managers have a tough position. Your role is to support your team as much as possible, but not to the point that your team feels that you don’t trust them. In a management role, we are faced with certain power dynamics that in some cases can cloud your intention for your employees and make them feel like they aren’t equipped to do their jobs if you’re intervening constantly without context. Make sure you clarify your role and intentions when you step in to help your team, a little communication can go a long way,” said Matt Miller, Founder & CEO of Embroker.
Sometimes when managers step in too much, it can come across as a lack of trust and does little to boost the confidence of your team. “It’s important your team doesn’t feel like they’re messing up when managers step in. If your team understands that your role is to assist them and help operations run more smoothly, you can align both of your goals and make for a smoother and better understanding of each other’s goals,” said Isaiah Henry, CEO of Seabreeze Management.
Give Clear Expectations and Goals to Your Employees
Often, when managers micromanage, it’s due to a lack of communication of their expectations to their employees and team. “Micromanaging comes to retaining an unhealthy amount of control over a given situation. An effective manager will give clear expectations of goals and let their team problem solve the solution. If you’re unsure which of these two you are as a manager, ask yourself if you are dictating the way something should be done regardless of whether the outcome will be the same,” said John Berry, CEO and Managing Partner at Berry Law.
Most importantly, make sure your employees can reasonably determine what your goals are. “Make sure the goals you set are clear and measurable to your employees. When expectations are ambiguous, you’re setting your team up to fail trying to determine what it is you’re exactly looking for. This can help your employees develop a rubric for themselves to determine whether or not they’re doing a good job and meeting the job expectations,” said Jeremy Gardner, CEO of MadeMan.
Guide Employees Rather Than Redoing Work
Rather than doing work yourself that’s already been done, provide helpful feedback to your team so they can be empowered to meet your expectations in the future. “Pay attention to the level of involvement you take when helping or engaging with your employees’ work. Rather than correcting or redoing work, try to guide, give feedback and ask for second rounds when necessary. This will help your employees figure out how to meet expectations and goals in their own way rather than feeling beholden to their manager’s way of doing things,” said Alan Ahdoot, Founder and Partner at Adamson Ahdoot Law.
Make sure that when giving feedback, you focus on the positives. “Giving effective and positively reinforced feedback is one of the biggest strengths a manager can have. This can help employees understand your expectations further and most importantly, make them feel like they can accomplish what you’re asking them to do. Give instructions in a step by step manner rather than overwhelming them with multiple tasks, and make sure you give attention to what they did right in the process, even if the outcome needs work,” said Marc Bridge of At Present.
Prioritize Outcome Over Procedure
One way to avoid micromanaging is to prioritize the end goal of a task rather than the semantics of how it gets done. Ubaldo Perez, CEO of Hush, said “In general, when outcome is prioritized over procedure there is more room for your team’s unique perspectives. You should be cultivating an environment where your employees feel safe to let their creativity and problem-solving abilities shine. When you micromanage over the procedure and process, it makes employees feel like they aren’t skilled enough for the job you’ve tasked them with. Which begs the question, why not delegate that task to another employee or even to yourself?”
Remember, this is part of why you have a team in the first place; to provide a different perspective and to help delineate the work you have to do at your company. “Whenever a task is delegated, you’re allowing someone else to bring in their own perspective and workflow. This is part of being on a team, and unique ways of getting things done should be celebrated. The important thing is that the work gets done well and on time, so don’t get bogged down by how someone is doing something,” said Anna Sullivan of Pidge Post.
Trust Your Team
Having faith that your team can get something done will help you take a less hands-on approach with your team and help prevent getting too involved and making them feel like they can’t get the job done. Don’t make extra work for yourself as Jim Beard, COO of Box Genie said. “When you micromanage, you’re ultimately making more work for yourself. If you take it upon yourself to get deeply involved with every project, you’re going to be spread thin as a manager and fall short of your job as a facilitator for daily operations. Put trust in your team to handle the projects you delegate to them so you can have a wider perspective on your company as a whole.”
Ultimately, you should be able to trust your team to get their work done. If you feel as though you can’t, try minimizing the amount of time you spend checking in on active projects and tasks. “Trust your employees to finish their work! Check in periodically only for status updates and provide help initiated by your team. It’s important to find a balance between having a hands-off approach and being available for your employees when they need you. Remember that you need to cultivate trust for both situations to occur,” said Jason Boehle, CEO of QuaGrowth.
Giving your employees some space to breathe and do their job without being constantly monitored can actually make them more productive. Of course, this doesn’t mean you should never check in on their progress; it just means setting clearer and measurable goals that they can meet, and then prioritizing deadlines and outcomes over procedure. When we get bogged down by semantics, it can cloud your judgment as to whether our team is handling their workload effectively. So, take a step back, give your employees some breathing room, and let them show you what they can achieve when you trust them to do their job. This can also help you assess your strengths as a manager. Managers’ primary roles are to delegate and manage the everyday procedures of a business, rather than doing those jobs themselves. At times, it may be necessary to step in. But by taking a step back and waiting to be asked for help, you put a greater deal of confidence into your team making both them and your business that much stronger. If you feel you might be micromanaging, try some of the tips above to get a better balance!
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