All managers walk a fine line: They are responsible for their team's performance, but they also must foster independence and growth among team members. Micromanagers are the adult equivalent of helicopter parents: They hover around employees and monitor every aspect of a project, down to the smallest detail. Not only is this frustrating for workers, who feel as though they are not trusted, but it is exhausting for managers and can handicap the whole team. Take a step back and allow your team to soar on its own.
Instructions
1. Analyze your motivation for micromanaging. Your need to be involved in the details likely stems from a sense of insecurity, which can come from several different areas. You may be a perfectionist, lack faith in your staff, or even have a micromanaging boss yourself. Understand the source of your worry so you can take steps to correct it.
2. Respect your employees skills and talents. Micromanagers tend to see weaknesses first, rather than strengths. Remember what your employees do well, and resolve to play to those abilities.
3. Set clear expectations and rules for follow up. When you assign a project or task, make sure your employee understands what is required in the first meeting. Set a due date, and set specific times to check on progress. Resolve to stick to those dates unless your employee comes to you for help.
4. Be a mentor, not a dictator. Let your employees come up with processes and solutions. Offer input, but only as a suggestion. When asked for guidance, don't spit out an answer right away. Instead, guide your employee through the problem solving process to come up with a good solution.
5. Become an enabler. Rather than focusing on individual tasks and processes, turn your attention toward giving your employees the tools they need to succeed. Empower them to make decisions and reward them for excellent ideas and executions.
