The Colonel said, “Choose your team wisely, kiddo. Pick people who have the knowledge, skill, and character to do what you need them to do. Once you’ve done that, step aside and let them do it.”
We all have our strengths, and we all have weaknesses. The mark of a significant leader is the ability to identify and own our less developed areas. Find the right people and surround ourselves with those who are stronger in the areas where we are less developed. Doing so makes the whole team stronger. Once you have gathered your dream team of skill and expertise, allow them to do what you hired them to do. Don’t micromanage them. Nothing is more demeaning, degrading and demoralizing than being micromanaged, and doing so actually hinders productivity.
The Colonel taught me that a micromanaging boss is just like a coach who still wants to be on the field—not effective as a player and less effective on the sidelines where he’s supposed to be. When you get bogged down in analyzing and obsessing about processes and procedures, one of two things will happen with your team. They will either be quietly rebellious, creating small, invisible ways to undermine you, or they will become hapless and unable to do anything without your detailed instructions and supervision. Either of these will prevent you from doing your job and focusing on the important task of leading.
Instead, find the right people for the job; give it to them and let them do it. Trust those you have delegated to. Shift from doing the work to leading conversations about the work. Take a step back and expand your view. Even if they do things differently than you would have, as long as their process achieves the same result, let them do it any way that works for them. This allows you to expand your capacity to lead while building mutual confidence and trust.
Read Lauren’s Whitepaper on The Nine Essentials of Significant Leadership.