When I look at these five warning signs, I realize I would have had to answer ‘yes’ to each of them. If you find yourself answering yes to at least two of these, you might be a micromanager. Don’t panic. Keep reading. Help is on the way.
1. Your team schedules checkpoints but cancels them. This can mean that your team is afraid to show you unfinished work. And fear to show you what they are working on also leads to a lack of collaboration.
2. Your team stops asking you questions. They would rather guess the answer than risk having you jump in where you are not needed or being overly critical of their work.
3. You are unnecessarily involved in decisions. Perhaps you review minor communications, or you sit in meetings that your subject matter experts can handle without you. This tells your team that you do not trust them.
4. Your team frequently has to rework completed tasks. This shows that there might be a training issue, or a delegation issue (you were not clear about your expectations.)
5. You are working longer hours than your team. If you are consistently putting in more time than your team, you are probably completing work that should be delegated.
If you are not certain about your answers, ask a trusted team member or two. None of this is about blame or shame; it’s all about becoming an even better project manager.
Here are four steps that will change your title from micromanager to confident project manager.
1. Start gradually. Pick one area where you are comfortable letting go. Maybe stop reviewing all minor communications or allow your subject matter expert to attend a meeting without you.
2. Recognize mistakes as learning. If a team member tries an approach that you would not have used, and it doesn’t work, that team member has a valuable lesson learned. Instead of being overbearing, ask, “What would you do differently next time?” Now, you are creating a more capable team member. One that does not require constant oversight.
3. Be open about your concerns. Sometimes micromanagement is about worrying that something will go wrong. Instead of control, provide communication. Tell your team member what you are worried about and be open about the risks. For example, instead of following your subject matter experts to meetings, give tips, “This stakeholder that you are meeting with can become frustrated if he thinks you are being vague. Let me know if you perceive any friction.”
4. Create structured checkpoints. Daily stand-up meetings can help.https://pmstudent.com/the-5-minute-daily-standup-that-actually-works/ You are looking for regular check-ins where you discuss progress and obstacles. Now, you are informed, without being controlling.
As you make the shift away from micromanagement and toward team member accountability, you can expect to see: improved engagement, increased initiative, and better results.
I recall when one of my team members taught me to stop telling her how to do the work, and to share the expected results; her solutions were always more efficient and elegant than mine.
If you want to continue to advance as a leader, you must transition toward strategy. You cannot do this if you insist on hands-on control.
Build a team that owns its outcomes. Start right now. Select one responsibility that you are clinging to when you could step back, set clear criteria, agree on a checkpoint, and delegate.
Delegation is not about closing your eyes, letting go, and then seeing what happens. It is about creating clear and supportive systems of accountability.
Next time we will look at how to empower your team without losing control.
'See' you soon,
Margaret Meloni
pmStudent
