Keep Calm and Let Them Work

DOUBT PRODUCES LESS RESULTS...

Micromanagement is more of a sign of insecurity than the need to usurp control.  It's a sickness for anyone to feel the need to watch the minutia of what people are doing to complete their assigned task.  Qualified individuals or experts in their crafts do not require such tight supervision.  In fact, it is an insult.  Scratch that.  It is even an insult to someone who is learning on the job or in a junior position.  

However the pressure of looking over someone's shoulder or the demands of requesting a status every waking minute will eventually cause stellar performers to leave and good workers to resent the workplace and become complacent with doing the bare minimum. 

But here's how to delegate, keep calm, and let others give their best for your benefit:

1.  Once the work has been assigned, ask for a timely status on the progress.  Do not constantly send emails and request an update.  It is annoying and shows your lack of trust in either the competence or ability to meet communicated deadlines.  Agree to a time of the day (only if absolutely necessary) or week the update should be sent and send a friendly reminder only after it is not received.

2.  Build your employees up with others.  Talk about their strengths and expertise in specific areas to other managers and even their peers.  Let them know the confidence you have in them to produce great work in front of others at meetings - some of which they are attending.  This sends a subliminal message that they're on the hook because high standards have been set.

3.  Find other projects to keep yourself busy.  If you don't have enough work, emails to sift through, or calls to return, create a side project to show your worth that does not require delegating tasks to others.  This serves three purposes: a) provides a new focus area to keep your mind off the "workerbees", b) empowers you to prove value and increase self-esteem in the work world, and c) creates a safe distance for those who report to you to actually begin to like you and want to provide consistent status.

Cure the illness.  Just keep calm and let them work.

For more advice on managing in the ranks of entrepreneurship and corporate life, pick up my book Get A Clue - 10 Steps to an Executive IQ or watch the videos on my YouTube channel.

Posted in: 10 Steps to an Executive IQ,corporate communication,corporate etiquette,Get A Clue,leadership,Leadership Skills,manager,program management,project management,Temeko Richardson