What You'll Discover In This Episode:
At some point in your life, maybe around 15 to 18 years-old, you probably learned how to drive. You might have taken a drivers education course to learn the rules of the road and practiced driving in vacant parking lots with one of your parents gripping the edge of their seat while desperately trying to hold their tongue. Driving a huge hunk of metal was a new skill you were learning so you proceeded cautiously, not wanting to make a costly mistake, break a law, pull into traffic at the wrong time, or hit another car because you braked too late.
I, too, was a new driver at one point so I try to remind myself of that every time I wind up stuck behind a driver maneuvering at a snail’s pace but with a giant sticker on their rear windshield stating, “Student Driver. Please be patient.” Even though they should be going at the posted speed limit and using their turn signal and brake appropriately, I know they’re just learning how to drive so I should practice patience just like the sticker says. Tailgating and honking would not do either of us any good. It would just put unnecessary pressure on them to go faster when they’re not yet comfortable doing so. That kind of pressure could make them error and possibly put themselves or others into an unsafe position.
All that to ask… is it possible that you are treating your team members like they’re slow drivers with minimal experience and you’re in the car right behind them, riding their asses, judging their every move, and acting annoyed or frustrated? If you are constantly looking over their shoulder, and riding your team members with unrealistic expectations and deadlines when they’re newer to their role, still developing their skills, or learning how to perform new tasks, you’re not allowing them to grow in their role. Just like a student driver, they don’t need that pressure on their back as they’re learning. It’s not good for them. you, or your business. Proceeding cautiously and making mistakes along the way are necessary parts of their growth and will lead them to perform tasks and complete projects better (and on their own!) over time. Don’t steal that necessary experience from them because you have a tendency to micromanage.
In this episode of the Small Business Straight Talk Podcast, I dive into the root causes of why you might be micromanaging your team so you can stop doing so and instead, empower your team members to succeed in their roles and invest more of your time in your own high-value activities.
