The fastest way to lose talent is to micromanage it. Leading isn’t about being right, it’s about setting the conditions for “right” to happen. According to the State of the American Workplace report. 60% of employees don’t believe they have the opportunity to do what they do best every day at work.

Managers, directors, or leaders who sense a lack of control due to their lack of employee interaction may micromanage their teams, leading to reduced engagement, poor motivation, and low productivity.

0:02 Intro
1:49 Effects of Micromanagement On Your Team
2:18 Actions for Leaders to Avoid Micromanaging
4:13 Four Essential Communication Skills for Managers & Leaders
4:53 Four Performance Management Conversations to Master

The fastest way to lose talent is to micromanage it. Leading isn’t about being right, it’s about setting the conditions for “right” to happen.

According to the State of the American Workplace report, 60% of employees don’t believe they have the opportunity to do what they do best every day at work.

And especially after Covid, working remotely is the new normal for many of us. Managers, directors, or leaders who sense a lack of control due to their lack of employee interaction may micromanage their teams, leading to reduced engagement, poor motivation, and low productivity.

ASK IF YOU'RE FALLING SHORT. Your boss’s excessive involvement in your job could be a form of hidden feedback. Ask if there is something about the way you are performing the role that they find inadequate. If they get into “reassuring” mode, telling you they think you’re doing a great job, this opens the door for you to share an example of why you are asking.

On the other hand, if your boss indicates that he is disappointed in your performance, then address that. Let them know that you want to excel in your job. Ask your boss to consider offering you feedback and coaching when your work doesn’t meet expectations, rather than jumping in and doing it for you.

DON'T WAIT. Letting toxic resentment accumulate could be dangerous. The longer you wait, the more you are likely to start ascribing motives to your boss.
Schedule a meeting with your boss and explain that you've noticed their level of involvement. Then, positively note that having greater trust in your capabilities will enable you to achieve even better results. Ask how you can, together, deepen trust and independence.

Does your boss need more frequent updates? Do you need to better show your abilities? Talk it through; collaborate on a plan.

ACTIONS FOR LEADERS TO AVOID MICROMANAGING

1. Hire Talented People of High Character
2. Clarify Goals and Objectives
3. Train Process and Procedure
4. Empower Your People

4 ESSENTIAL COMMUNICATION SKILLS FOR MANAGERS & LEADERS
1. Listen to Learn—a deeper type of listening where the goal for the manager is to hear something that might change their mind, not just prompt a response.
2. Inquire for Insight—when the manager uses questions to draw people out and probe for understanding that might not be shared at first.
3. Tell Your Truth—being direct in communication in a way that promotes honest observation without assigning blame.
4. Express Confidence—conveying a positive attitude toward the other person and toward future conversations, regardless of the subject.

4 PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT CONVERSATIONS TO MASTER
· 1. The Goal Setting Conversation—setting clear objectives: all good performance begins with clear goals.
· 2. The Praising Conversation—noticing and recognizing progress and good performance: catch people doing things right.
· 3. The Redirecting Conversation—providing feedback and direction when performance is off-track: seize the opportunity before the problem escalates.
· 4. The Wrapping Up Conversation—conducting a short, informal review after a task or goal is finished: savor accomplishments and acknowledge learnings.



#micromanagement #micromanager #workplace

Simon Sinek once said: A boss who micromanages is like a coach who wants to get in the game. Leaders guide & support, then sit back & cheer from the sidelines.

Opinions are my own, not the view of my employer. ____________________________________________________________

About Mert Damlapinar

Mert Damlapinar has been in director roles for eCommerce, digital marketing, and sales, he's currently Global eCommerce Lead for Mondelez International. He holds a master's degree in Applied Business Analytics from Boston University (magna cum laude), executive management certificates in Integrated Digital Marketing from Cornell University, and Applied Data Science from Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

He's a member of the MIT Technology Review Global Insights Panel, Consumer Goods Technology Executive Council, The Digital Shelf Institute Executive Forum, and Brand Innovators Labs Innovation Advisory Council.

He's currently working on his 2nd book.

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