Empower Your Staff Even If You Are A Micro-Manager

Micro-Managers can't help themselves.

They can't allow a mistake or misstep from occurring.

For them it's all urgent, the costs are too high, and if it is only going to take 5 mintues, or 30 seconds, to correct said 'mistake'; it's worth it, in their eyes. 

What is the cost though of this approach? It's actually far greater than the time it takes to make corrections of your staff. The greater cost is how your staff feel and thus how they perform for you. The turnover. The culture of your organization. 

If I know that you are watching uber-closely over my every move, well, then I don't have to. I let go. I relinquish control to you.

This only exacerbates the problem.

The Micro-Managing Boss gets frustrated that their underling never seems to step up to the plate, never seems to want to take responsibility. He/She/They don't seem that careful about their work. Don't they take pride in their output, you might ask yourself? 

You know it's a problem that YOU can solve when this occurs repeatedly in your organization and is not isolated to one or two stray individuals. 

What do you do if this describes yourself?

Here are some suggestions for how you might address this issue and foster an environment of happy and thriving staff. 

Conversation

Start out by inviting a conversation with each staffperson where you are having issues. Let them know that you invite their feedback and opinion on how to strengthen, empower, uplift, support, enhance the work environment.

Steps:

1. Request a 1 on 1 check in conversation.

2. Start with your personal reflections and ruminations:

   1. Acknowledge awareness that the current dynamic is neither healthy nor sustainable.

   2. Aware that staff perception exists that you are micro-manager.

   3. Strong desire that each staff person feels empowered, enthusiastic, inspired, and of course, ultimately that the organization/business thrives.

   4. Explain that your impulse to oversee work closely is partly influenced by the responsibility that you feel for the entire staff and commitments you’ve made to all, so that they can support themselves and their families as you are yours. 

   5. Welcome chance to problem solve together….Ask...

      1. Is there any way that I hold you back or impede you? I’d love to know.

      2. Suggestions of how we can better work together?

      3. How can I support you in a way that works for you?

3. Recognize that ultimately you are fiscally responsible - thus the inclination to have final say on decisions and output. Even so, surely we can envision ways that inspire and support staff empowerment and development while allowing supervisor to focus on just those areas that require their specific expertise and wealth of experience...would love to find the right balance with staff person input.

4. If staff person would like some time to give further thought, schedule a follow up - genuinely welcome continuing the conversation such that together you can experiment and explore ways of uplifting each other, allowing the business to thrive as an entity - removing any obstacles to its reaching its fullest potential...need and welcome staff insights, ideas, perspective….

5. Desire business to stand on its own two feet, without needing supervisor to hold it together. Need for supervisor to have more time, less urgency, ability to step away for periods….how can we co-create this possibility?

Watch for Fear

When a decision is made from a place of fear - pay attention!

Fear of what could happen contributes to the business not expanding, growing, and flourishing. Fear is a contracting energy.

Imagine a child - a parent fearful of her getting hurt, holds her tightly. However those opportunities to ‘skin her knees’ contribute to her growth, development, maturation. We’d never wish to deprive her of these opportunities, even while it is painful to stand by while we watch her get hurt….

Being willing to let go is not easy.

Fear of losing everything you’ve worked for will certainly arise. That’s the irony; sometimes holding too tightly, to avoid the outcome you fear actually brings it about. Thus, even while you are fiscally responsible, it may very well be that you are being invited to let go, trust, allow your business to go where it needs to go, even if that means to not survive.

When Fear is a component of a decision, you send a message to that staff person that you do not trust their capability, choices, etc. This leads to their being less likely to take initiative….why would they?

When an action is not about fear but just makes good managerial sense - such as to review a strategy or output - given that you hold a wealth of know-how that they do not and that you are ultimately responsible, THAT is the proper moment to step in and offer feedback, direction, guidance.

However, if fear is present - you must not act upon it!

Always check inwardly whether fear is present. If yes or maybe, then work with those feelings!

Inquire, appreciate, even imagine giving the ‘fearful self within you’ a hug and understanding.

Allow the fear to be present.

Give as much compassion as you can.

Work with it.

But do not make a decision or move from that place – you want to promote confidence and trust in the workplace.

If you do not feel it in the moment, you must wait until you do.

Results

What you will find in practicing letting go is that you create a saner work/life balance for yourself.

Your employees begin to step up more, take on more, and are happier! Turnover decreases, attitudes improve, and you will begin to see the results that your Micro-Managing intends to create but that actually only inhibits thriving in the workplace.

Let me know how it goes for you!