Focus On What’s To Be Achieved When Managing

Managing is a tough gig.

There’s people who are part of your team who look to you to provide direction and support.

You have a boss who expects you to deliver.

And you have peers who you need to get along with.

Whenever I’m speaking to people about managing effectively one of the topics that seems to come up with alarming frequency is the manager who wants to control everything.

The micromanager tends not just to want to ensure things are done but wants to define every step in the process, wants to continually define how things should be done and offers little freedom.

Now if you are managing a team of low skilled people that might work to some extent.

If you are managing a group of professionals this approach has little or no chance of ever being successful.

Those fellow professionals are smart people.

They want autonomy and freedom.

They want to be challenged.

They want to grow and develop.

They want to progress in their careers.

They want to feel trusted.

If you’re a control freak and a micro manager you are never going to be effective at managing others.

Rather than trying to manage and control everything change your approach.

Be clear about what is to be achieved and by when.

Make sure others understand what’s to be delivered.

Set some points to check on progress and help others overcome challenges or obstacles.

Then get out of the way.

Allow people to decide the best way of achieving the end result.

Ultimately that’s what matters.

Not only will you have an effective team but you will also free up your time to focus on what your success is being measured.

About the Author Duncan Brodie

Since 2006 I’ve worked with in excess of 8,000 accountants and professionals in workshops, seminars and one to one helping them land their next jobs and become better leaders, presenters and business partners. Before that I spent 25 years in accountancy climbing the career ladder from Payments Clerk to FD. I’m a CIMA Fellow, Certified Professional Coach and Team Coach Facilitator.

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