Aware of Your Management Style?
Cathie Leimbach • July 8, 2020
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A former staff recruiter for small family businesses described the paradox of business owners’ management practices well.
Hands-on business owners often micromanage their staff. Multiple times each day they give very specific directions to their employees about their next task, even once they are experienced and competent with their regular work. The owner makes all the decisions without discussing with staff so they aren't equipped to work independently.
However, when the small business owner goes on vacation, he announces his travel plans to his staff a couple of days before he leaves. He shares no special information with his staff. He seems to believe they have been working for him long enough that they know how to run the business.
But then, when the owner returns to work, he is frustrated that the employees didn’t handle day-to-day irregularities the way he would have. And, of course, now that he is back on the job, they are receiving detailed instructions for routine work.
If you can trust your employees to keep the business going while you are away, is it really a good use of your time, or motivating for them, when you micromanage them?
If you don’t involve your employees in discussions about workplace situations that arise from time to time, how can you expect them to make decisions that align with your preferences?
Does your management style assume that staff aren’t competent to complete their regular work without daily instructions? Or, do you expect that they will magically have strong problem-solving skills when you aren’t there? Maybe you can relate with both scenarios.
What can you do to show that you trust your competent employees and equip them to handle unexpected situations?
When you adjust your management style, you will have more time to manage the business and they will have increased job satisfaction, resulting in higher productivity. And then, you will reap a stronger bottom line.
For weeks, Mary had been frustrated with frequently occurring delays in shipping. During her one-on-one with her supervisor, she finally told him what was going on. He listened, asked questions, and said he would look into it. She left the meeting feeling encouraged. Maybe this situation would finally get resolved. A week later, her supervisor started their one-on-one by asking “So, what do you want to talk about today?” He didn’t mention what he had learned about the problem in shipping. “Of course not!,” she thought. “Nothing is going to change.” So, she sadly replied, “Nothing really. Everything’s fine.” Sometimes employees stop talking because experience has taught them that speaking up doesn’t make any difference. One-on-ones are an opportunity to change that. Give the employee a voice in what gets discussed. Help them address bottlenecks. Follow-up on your to dos from the conversation. It can be as simple as: “Last week we talked about the shipping problem. I checked into it, and here’s what I found out. A possible solution would be this .... How do think that might work? ... What other ideas do you have?” The message is clear: I heard you. I remembered. What you have to say matters. And when employees believe their concerns and ideas matter, they’re more likely to keep speaking up. Conversation is Where Leadership Happens™ What Workplace Conversation Are You Struggling With? Maybe an employee has stopped talking. Maybe you’re dealing with accountability, conflict, attendance, performance—or simply a conversation you’re not quite sure how to approach. Bring it to the FREE Workplace Conversations Clinic on September 21. Join Cathie Leimbach and other leaders to talk through real workplace people challenges, hear different perspectives, and get ideas for moving forward. Register Here
Many leaders don't set out to become the answer to every question. It happens gradually. Someone asks their leader how to do it because it's faster than figuring it out. Another employee waits because they don't want to make the wrong decision. Before long, you're answering questions your team should be able to answer on their own. The good news is that you don't have to be the answer to every question. You can build a team that thinks, solves problems, and takes ownership without you giving up appropriate control. Here are a few places to start: Ask Before You Answer When someone brings you a problem, don't start by giving them the solution. Instead, ask: What do you think? What options have you considered? What would you do if I wasn't here? People grow when they think through problems—not when someone else thinks for them. Let Small Decisions Stay Small. Not every decision needs your approval. Look for low-risk opportunities where employees or supervisors can tell the employee to make the call themselves. Confidence grows with experience. Praise Initiative, Even When It's Imperfect. If people believe they'll be criticized every time they make a decision, they'll stop making them. When someone takes ownership, recognize their initiative. Coaching them to make a better decision is easier in the long run than making every decision yourself. Notice the Questions That Keep Coming Back. If you're answering the same questions week after week, don't just answer them faster. Ask why they're still being asked. The issue may not be your people. It may be an unclear expectation, an inconsistent process, lack of training, or a conversation that never happened. Helping people think for themselves doesn't happen in one meeting. It happens through dozens of everyday collaborative conversations that gradually build confidence, judgment, and ownership. Conversation is Where Leadership Happens™ You don't have to figure it all out alone. Bring your workplace people challenges to the FREE Workplace Conversations Clinic September 21. Join Cathie Leimbach and other leaders for a practical conversation about the people challenges you're facing—and leave with fresh perspectives you can put to work. Register HERE
