Key Steps to Greatness

“Whether you realize it or not, you have the power to be successful
by helping others succeed.”

– David Cottrell –

“Don’t spend time beating on a wall,
hoping to transform it into a door.”

– Coco Chanel –

Last week we took the first step to overcome micromanaging by tapping into the reasons we fall into the trap in the first place. Now we can take the second key step together, break the habit and…

Lead with Vision… not Control

Step #2: The solutions for micromanagement:

Reason for Micromanaging	Key Steps to overcome it…
1. You think you can do your staff’s jobs better. 2. You don’t trust your staff to do the job properly.(Note: Number one and two have the same Key Steps)	Ask yourself if you really can? There are probably many aspects of the job you can’t do better (either you have forgotten how or systems have changed etc.) And for the aspects you can do better – mentor your staff and remind yourself that you do not have the time to do two jobs so there is no point in thinking how much better you could do it… just teach them to do it and allow them to get to the end result THEIR way and not always your way.
3. You don’t know what else to do (i.e. you might not have learnt how to coach, mentor, train and empower your team to do their jobs effectively or might not be taking the time to do it!)	Get yourself on a ‘Performance Management and Coaching’ course – we have one if you need it – and learn to empower your staff and manage non-performance effectively. If it is a time issue, you should see that the time wasted in the job not being done properly means you cannot afford not to take the time to coach and mentor. Block the time in your diary as if it is an emergency because it is an emergency!
4. You have staff who, even after the necessary training, mentoring and coaching, are not competent, capable or willing to do their job.	Same as point three above. And you might also need to contact your HR to be aware of disciplinary procedures IF (and only if) you have tried EVERYTHING and the person is just not willing or able to perform.
5. You might be insecure and don’t want anyone to do a better job than you or to take credit for successes.	Start working on your self-esteem today. If you don’t feel good about who you are and deeply confident about your self-worth you cannot lead others.
6. You simply haven’t thought through the motivation-killing, creativity-crushing effects of micromanaging staff.	Now that you have become aware of it, and started to think it through, you have hopefully noticed the detrimental effects micromanagement has on your staff’s self-esteem and motivation. STOP micromanaging now!

It’s up to you. You can empower your team and…

“be the difference that makes the difference“

“Nothing profits more than self-esteem,
grounded on what is just and right.”

– John Milton –

“Nothing builds self-esteem and
self-confidence like accomplishment.”

– William Arthur Ward –

I am sure you have all – like me – had the misfortune of being managed by a micromanager. Or maybe, at times, you have even recognised yourself falling into the trap of micromanaging despite knowing it doesn’t work. It’s a pattern of insanity we can all break if we recognise why we are doing it and take the correct Key Steps to ‘be the difference that makes the difference’. There are two simple steps to help you overcome this soul destroying habit. This week we will take step one and ensure that we can answer an important question…

Why do you fall into the trap?

Your “Key Steps” Coaching for the week ahead:

Step #1: Ask yourself, “Why do managers micromanage?” Although each set of circumstances are unique and there could be many reasons why managers fall into the trap of micromanaging, they usually fall into one of the following six reasons:

1. They think they can do their staff’s jobs better.

2. They don’t trust their staff to do the job properly.

3. They don’t know what else to do (i.e. they might not have learnt how to coach, mentor, train and empower their team to do their jobs effectively or they might not be taking the time to do it!)

4. They have staff who, even after the necessary training, mentoring and coaching, are not competent, capable or willing to do their job.

5. They might be insecure and don’t want anyone to do a better job than them or to take credit for successes.

6. They simply haven’t thought through the motivation-killing, creativity-crushing effects of micromanaging staff.

Catch yourself this week – and it might not be at work, it might be at home (some of us micromanage our partners and kids too!) – and make a note of why you micromanage. If it’s your manager who is micromanaging, use this week to notice why and it can help you to change the dynamic. It’s important to become conscious and aware of doing it before next week so we can then take step two together and…

”be the difference that makes the difference“