David Traversi's the SOURCE of LEADERSHIP™

Among negative behaviors afflicting leaders, micro-management may be the most difficult to overcome. That’s because the underlying driver is fear, and the fear body has a powerful survival instinct. But it can be overcome. And it must be to lead effectively over the long term. Otherwise, team members feel devalued and disrespected. They avoid taking risk. They take out frustrations on other team members and customers. They look for new jobs. In the end, the only ones that stay around are sub-A players because A players will not allow themselves to be micro-managed.

So how do you stop micro-managing? Here are some tips:

Redefine your role. Staff for a maximum of three to five direct reports. Write your own current position description, being completely candid, which should reveal where you are micro-managing. Then draft a vision statement for how you will lead without telling anyone how to do his or her job.). Offer support. Set accountability schedules. Detach. Commit to the discipline no matter what. Remember, if it’s not working, it’s because you are not leading an “A” player or there is a breakdown in leadership.

Lead by objective. Set goals. Set and assign action steps. Clearly define expectations (who, what, when, and why…not how

Hire and retain only “A” players. They won’t allow you to micro-manage.

With every task, ask “Who else can do this?”

Take it in steps and pieces. Don’t expect to overcome your tendency to micro-manage overnight.

Distinguish between helpful and meddlesome. Err on the side of not helping, at least until you are no longer micro-managing.

Prioritize rigorously. Have no more than five priorities and don’t work outside them.

Communicate your intent to no longer micro-mange to key constituents. Describe the behaviors you’re working on. Ask for suggestions. Make a commitment. And provide a “safe space” for them top provide you feedback.

Meet frequently with your team. Daily (15 minutes) to discuss what’s up, metrics, and where stuck. Weekly (1 hour) to focus on priorities. Monthly (4 – 8 hours) to address big issues and for learning.

Practice intention. See Chapter 4 in The Source of Leadership.

Posted by David Traversi on June 7, 2008
Permalink | Comments(0) | Supportive

Nearly all executives I work with are plagued to some degree by the nasty infection of micro-management. A high-impact leader doesn’t disempower people, diminish their confidence, sap their initiative, and stifle their ability to think for themselves. The reality is that if you micro-manage enough, you are just about guaranteed that the folks you are micro-managing will not be able to function without you. High-impact leadership is about active involvement – using knowledge to probe and question, bring weaknesses to light, and rally people to correct them.

My advice to micro-managers (once they see themselves doing it, which often takes months and even years – leaders just don’t want to admit to the infection), dispensed on almost a daily basis, is to work to replace themselves. When you are replaceable as a leader, you have succeeded. I tell micro-managing executives, "Set a goal that, in three months, if you were to die suddenly, your company will function without a hitch and possibly better than if you were alive." Most say, "But why would I do that? If I become replaceable, what is my value?" My answer: "That is exactly your value. This is what the best leaders do. You will be highly valued because of your ability to build an organization that does not need any one person steering the ship. Look at Jack Welch. The greatest testament to his leadership ability is the fact that he left and Jeffrey Immelt, without a hitch, made it an even better company."

Posted by David Traversi on June 13, 2007
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