2 of 3 Mistakes Most Managers Make - Micro Managing

The second post of three on the mistakes managers make from an excerpt written for CEO Russia magazine last winter.(note: you will need a translator for article) While these mistakes may seem basic, they may seem like a novice mistake, they are actually quite devastating to an organization. And, even novice to veteran managers committing them.

When these mistakes are not caught early, they can derail the best of intentions and actually send someone who has natural ability to lead, just needs some tender, mentoring care, back to the file ranks of time-clock punchers. It can be catastrophic to the human potential of our leaders.

Second mistake: micro-managing and holding things so close to the cuff that they squelch creativity and self-motivation toward desired outcome. Constant hovering, checking in, nagging, questioning and reworking the work of your team creates a real sense of apathy in all. Folks don't want to work hard if they are just going to be corrected, redone or rejected for not doing it 'right.'

One executive in an institution for higher learning was having difficulty with the direct reports being accountable to what they had committed to doing. This executive was so on edge with his key leaders within the organization because their lack of follow-through was putting him on the hook with the board of directors. When we dug into the challenges through coaching and got past the finger pointing, the core of the problem became evident. This leader realized that they were not lifting up their team to execute efficiently and effectively; in fact, they had placed such restrictions on them that they were paralyzed as a whole.

The cause, this executive was not letting go of the ‘how things get done’ and was not allowing their people to creatively solve problems together.

When this executive noticed how their own insecurities were leading to the failure of the team, it was merely putting action steps in place for course correction. We pulled the leadership team together for a retreat to clear the air, set new ground rules and working guidelines.

Several months post retreat, the team is working more cohesively, they are their own (collective) accountability force that is producing great results.

It became an environment where people no longer wait to be told exactly what to do; they are free to take lead on executing the deliverables. The team collectively looked at what refinements could be made for the overall accountability model within the organizational structure, which resulted in streamlining services, ultimately saving jobs and increasing enrollment.

Coaching Questions:

1. What has your experience been with 'micro managing?'
2. How did you course correct?
3. What environment are you creating as leader?
   
4. Who have you asked for support from to gain clarity on the reality of your managing style?
5. What is your call to action from this post today?
   

4 Coaching Tips to Help When It's Time to Let Go and Move On!

Ideas are for a season - businesses are too.

Recently I heard a story of a business owner with a really great idea. Their idea was so good, they just knew that it was going to revolutionize their SOI - Sphere of Influence. As they nurtured their idea to reality, they were met with severe opposition, at every juncture. Yet the opposition or resistance was not something they viewed as reason to stop moving on their idea.

How many of you know that there are times when being met with an opposing force can actually be good for your idea. It can help you gain clarity around what you are doing and what the outcome may look like. But the question is, do you know when it is time to let go of an idea because ideas can actually be for a season?

Depending on how you answered that question will tell you how to proceed through this post. Knowing with all clarity when an idea may be for a season is key for knowing when to let go and move on. It is in the times when we keep pressing in and forward on an idea, without calibrating our steps, that can cause serious wheel spinning. What is significant is increasing one's ability to identify when letting go is actually more beneficial than hanging on. Even if it is more than an idea, it's a business, or partnership, or employee.

Once you have identified that letting go and creating a plan for moving on from your idea or whatever it is you are hanging on to is your next best step, here are 4 coaching tips to help you.

Tip #1 - Make your list. Write out the pros and con's to moving and/or sticking with it. Attach your feelings and emotions to the list - how do each on make you feel? When we clearly know the "why factor" and the feelings it evokes, the letting go can be smoother.

Tip #2 - Write an Affirmation. We know that affirmations are powerful as we move toward the changes we want to make in our lives and businesses. Much research has been done that supports using affirmations daily increases our self efficacy. Well using affirmations can be powerful for the things we 'don't want' just as they are for the things we 'do.' So, write an affirmation the supports your transition and say it two times a day.

Tip #3 - Acknowledge the work you have done. Often times when we make a decision to let go of an idea and move away from it, we leave out acknowledging the many hours and work that went into it to this point. When we set aside self-promotion and advocacy for a dismissive attitude or simply just by ignoring our efforts, we aren't gifting our mindset with the opportunity to celebrate, even failures. There are learning opportunities everywhere, even in our failures or course corrections. Don't deny yourself that gift by neglecting to honor your work.

Tip #4 - Make a To-Do list. Now that you have your Pros and Con's, Affirmation and Acknowledgment, it's time to make your list for next steps. It's the "what will I do differently" list. The one that will help move you to the next level in your journey. Remaining open to possibility in this transition is so key to the success on the other side of it. Most successful people fail many times before they hit their stride. By letting go of an idea, partnership or even business is not the end,it is only the beginning. And as we do at new cross-roads, we gain clarity around what to do next. It starts with a list which turns into an agreement and an action plan for the future.

By applying these four tips to your transition, you will navigate well through the ever changing waters. Sometimes it takes going back and reassessing multiple times, writing new affirmations and keeping up to date on your list. And when you are faithful to the process, you will feel more in control of the change happening around you.

What's your perspective on change?

At all levels, making career transitions can be among the most challenging to navigate. I know this personally because about 5 years ago now I embarked upon a major career change of my one. Leaving what many perceived to be a "secure" job with government for the Private Sector and Entrepreneurship. It left many people wondering and doing a bit of head scratching, truth be told.

People could not get their head around why I would leave a job like I had for something so unpredictable and solely reliant upon, me.

Looking back now, I see that the transition that I made was not only for me, it was for who would be come my future clients. Interesting perspective right? Most change really is easier to handle and balance out when we look at multiple different perspectives. It is how we handle the decision process, in general, that makes up how we navigate change. Let me explain.

The perspective that I held closely on change was and is a very positive one. I believe that change, when planned and thought out can be very good. I also believe that those changes that catch us off guard can be equally as (if not more) gratifying. It is the frame of mind we look at the situation with that counts. Getting locked on to the way it "was" or "should" be can derail us real quick and in a hurry.

What works well, whether change is handed to us or we seek it out on our own, is to know the strategy necessary for the smooth transition. That comes from knowing and understanding your heart motive during the transition. While it may be handed to you without choice you can transition through very easily when you know what is important to you. Seeking ways to find the opportunity in the midst of transition will give you a greater sense of efficacy in the midst of sometimes challenging circumstances.

Coaching Question: How do you handle change? What has derailed you in the past with transition? What commitment are you willing to make to yourself in support of smooth transitions?