Micromanaging is when a leader spends too much time managing their team too closely. This type of behavior can decrease job satisfaction and increase stress, making your employees more likely to leave the company. If you’re used to micromanaging to make sure your employees perform well, it can be hard to stop. Here are some ways to put a stop to your micromanaging behaviors:
Lead Early
If you are tempted to micromanage your team through projects, maybe starting on a project early can help you. When your employees begin working on a project early, then you have plenty of time to fix any errors and allow employees to learn along the way. You will be able to step back and let your team take the initiative while still being able to fix mistakes before they derail the project.
Create a Working Workload
You may be micromanaging because you’re worried your team won’t be able to complete all their work by the deadlines without your help. If this is the case, you may want to reevaluate the workload you’re requiring of employees. You can reduce your employee’s workload by getting rid of unimportant responsibilities or hiring another employee to take over some of the work. Once your employees can handle the amount of work they’re given, you will be able to step back without a problem.
Give Permission
Since you’ve been micromanaging previously, your team has likely gotten in the habit of asking permission from you for every bit of work they’re doing. Because of this, there may be a drop in productivity when you first stop micromanaging. To combat this, give your team permission in advance to carry out certain tasks. Specifically say that you are trying to step back and give your team more autonomy, so your employees can prepare themselves for the change.
Stopping any habit is difficult, especially when doing so requires giving up some control. Use this advice to stop micromanaging your team and create a workplace where employees can learn, grow, and take responsibility for their work.