I work for a Micromanager!
Nothing screams, “I don’t trust you” more than being a manager who hovers!
I’ve heard that complaint way too often. No one likes working for a micromanager – nothing screams, “I don’t trust you” more than being a manager who hovers! Let’s reflect on the following habits. Do any of these sound familiar? If so, don’t worry! Recognizing is the first step towards making changes to transform into a trust-building, innovation-fostering leader.
Forever Editing - constantly tweaking good work to match your style.
Focus on outcomes, not methods. Your team doesn’t need a clone of you!
Status Stalker - frequent "just checking in" is exhausting your team!
Schedule meaningful 1:1s, use project tools, and trust your team.
Approval Bottleneck - Even tiny decisions need your blessing (do they though?!)
Empower your team. Reserve approvals for what really matters.
Detail Obsessed - Wasting time with minor details that don't impact results.
Focus on what's critical. Empower your team, then step back and let them shine!
Unsolicited Advisor - Offering "helpful" advice nobody asked for.
Don’t undermine the team! Trust that your team will ask when they need help.
Task Reclaimer - Taking the work back to 'maintain standards' crushes your team's confidence.
Don’t take over! Provide feedback and let your team learn from mistakes.
Focus on outcomes, maintaining open communication, and trusting your team, you can move from “helicopter manager” to a leader who has confidence in the team.
A happy, empowered team is a productive team!