Stop Micromanaging, Start Empowering
Imagine — you onboard a new hire, line them up with their first project, and set them loose to create and accomplish. It’s an important project, and essential that it’s completed correctly to ensure your team hits their goals.
Now, where do you go from here?
Option A is providing step-by-step instructions and continuously checking in to make sure they’re doing things ‘right.’
Option B is trusting they were hired for a reason, and believing in their capabilities as you make yourself available for support from afar.
Sure, option A is comfortable, the one most of us choose because we know how to get it done. But according to a recent report from DX Learning Solutions, this can be classified as micromanaging, and do more harm to company culture than good.
No one sets out to be a micromanager. It’s never a personal goal or career accomplishment. Most of the time, it feels like a necessity to the person doing the micromanaging — due to their past experiences and/or perspective.
Examples of micromanaging include:
Monitoring and providing feedback on every detail of an employee’s process.
Seeing your way as the only way.
Being close minded to new insights and opinions.
Being dissatisfied with the work your team produces.
Never challenging the status quo.
Moving away from micromanagement and towards empowerment not only improves the employee experience, it helps retain top talent by letting them fully express their gifts and abilities.
Easier said than done, right? Here’s an argument for shifting away from micromanaging:
DX Learning Solutions notes that empowered workplaces lead to a collaborative culture of trust, boosted employee engagement with fewer absences, and enhanced accountability among team members.
In other words: it might feel like you’re losing control in the short term as you adjust to new communication and work patterns, build trust, and, frankly, prove to yourself that you don’t actually need to micromanage — but in the long term, it makes both your employees’ and your work life more fulfilling.
So, how can we stop micromanaging and start empowering? Here are a few simple workplace shifts to encourage it:
Ask vs. Tell
By spending less time talking, and more time listening, you’ll remain open to other points of view and practice embracing vulnerability while relinquishing control.
Show Trust and Delegate
Employees are hired for a reason. Have confidence in their knowledge and skills, and give them a chance to bring their unique gifts to the table. It’s hard to earn trust if never given the opportunity to.
*Tip — clarity when delegating is essential in ensuring projects are completed accurately. DX Learning Director of Design Matthew Sandel noted in Ep 69 of the Social Responsibility at Work Podcast that “once you have clarity, only then can you delegate and develop your people by giving them autonomy. When you try to give someone autonomy, and develop them without clarity, we call that chaos.”
Coach and Support
Assign work that helps develop skills and encourages a leadership mindset. Give constructive feedback for continuous improvement and progress. Informal feedback in the moment can help someone learn how to master the skills on their own.
Encourage Knowledge Sharing
Involve new hires in meetings, decision making, and ask for feedback on your own ideas or processes. Give them a chance to express their ideas and opinions.
Appreciate the Failures
Show appreciation, even when a project fails. By focusing on a growth mindset, rather than punishment, employees will feel acknowledged and respected.
What are your thoughts on micromanaging? Do you already implement any of the empowerment tools above? Let me know in the comments below.
Read the full report: https://www.dx-learning.com/blog/difference-between-micromanaging-empowering
If you can care for your people, they’re going to be more likely to speak up and bring their authentic selves to work.
