Leadership style: pulling the micro-management plug

Remote working is here to stay. To do this successfully, leadership and collaboration must become explicitly trust-based. But, ... let's pull the micro-management plug first.

This pandemic is not easy to deal with mentally. The essence can be traced back to losing control. We are definitely not in control. Nature is. And this creates stress, which, in turn, triggers the micro-management reflex. Let’s dig a little deeper into the underlying fears that create stress and lead to a dysfunctional leadership style.

If you want to lose the command & control management style, you need to work on the triggers of that functioning. As long as you don’t tackle your fears, your leadership style will not change. Identifying what sets you off is difficult and confrontational. So what are the main anxieties that make micro-management arise?

• Fear of failure: the “I will disappoint my superior”-syndrome
• Fear of rejection: the “I will get fired”-syndrome
• Fear of being disliked: the “my manager will not like me”- syndrome
• Fear of others: the “I don’t want to be worse than others”- syndrome
• Fear of being stuck: the “I don’t want to admit I don’t know what to do”-syndrome
• Fear of the unknown: the “what will happen if I let go”-syndrome

The above fears are often the main triggers of a micro-management reflex. Figure out what your personal triggers are.

An excellent exercise and starting point is to write down typical situations in which you switch to micro-management mode. For each situation, reflect on your underlying worries that push you into micro-management. Develop a list of alternative actions that you can start doing to replace these micro-managing activities.

Of course, self-reflection is crucial. But it’s equally important to engage your team. It will give you the mirror you’re looking for. And the very fact that you ask for feedback is an essential first step in overcoming micro-management. It shows the team members you are aware of the problem. Daring to be vulnerable is a sign of good leadership. You will probably notice that this step means a lot to them and provides you with a dozen insights.

Oh, and act on the advice of your direct reports by implementing the changes. It shows they matter and you value their opinion.

The role of a manager is to be the team leader, the decision-maker, and the coach. You need to want others to succeed in order to succeed as a leader. It’s no longer about you, it’s about them. You need to re-establish trust by i.e. giving your team members autonomy, admitting your mistakes and uncertainty, thank people publicly, show respect by being on time, prioritizing 1-2-1's, and actually go head-on into those difficult conversations.

Becoming a true leader is about providing space to your team and that can be scary, uncertain, and new. Let us help you walk the path to the enlightened leader.