Micromanaging has become something of a dirty word in recent times: the mark of a tyrannical boss who does not trust his employees to have an independent thought let alone complete a task autonomously.
No employee wants a boss who allows them no freedom, who doesn’t want them to grow and gain experience by facing new challenges every now and then. Furthermore, a boss that tracks his employee’s every waking move and thought is hardly making the best use of time and resources. Ever heard of the saying: “Split up and we’ll cover more ground?”
Nevertheless, some tasks are so vitally important that you, as a small business owner, MUST ensure they are done correctly. In such circumstances, micromanaging is a much better, and safer, option than delegating.
Both delegating and micromanaging have their place. When your business starts out, you might only be in one location, making it easier to do everything yourself. However, once your business begins to grow, you will undoubtedly begin to feel stretched thin until you relinquish your grip and learn to strike a balance between acting alone and entrusting others to help you.
Letting go can be difficult for entrepreneurs. On one hand, you trust the people you hired; on the other, you want to make sure your baby is in capable hands. When deciding whether to delegate, one of the worst things that can happen is that you assign the task to someone who cannot handle it. If they fail, it will be damaging to their confidence, not to mention your business.
To avoid this scenario, it pays to follow the 70 per cent rule. That is, determine whether the employee is capable of doing the work at least 70 per cent as well as you. If they make the magic number, let them at it. It will be good for both of you. If they don’t, choose someone else or do it yourself. Keep in mind, if you decide to delegate, it’s important to not undermine the trust you’ve placed in them by letting your instinct to micromanage creep in.
So empower your people to do their best. You might be pleasantly surprised!