Are you sooooo tired with micromanaging your team all day every day?

I wonder if you might need to hear what Isabell took away from her coaching session this week. If you, like Isabell, are struggling to get people on your team to do their job, it might be helpful to hear a bit of our coaching conversation.

Do you micromanage more than you want to?
Let me back up. Isabell supervises a team of 5. The team is all working from home now, so Zoom is the way of "doing work." Isabell finds it challenging to keep track of what they are doing and at the same time feels she borders on micromanaging them. 

I asked Isabell to imagine the "perfect team." 

• What would they be doing? 
• How would they be working?
  
  

Isabell chuckled, "Well, I wouldn't be following up all the time to check in on them to make sure they are working, that's for sure!"

Would you like this kind of leadership experience?
Then, Isabell rattled off the following:

• They would be moving projects forward. 
• They would hand their paperwork in on time. 
• They would be meeting their families regularly. 
• They would take the initiative on tasks and their responsibilities. 
• They would be supporting each other and asking where they could help each other out. 
  
  

That sounds like a fantastic team, I agreed! What kind of a leader creates a work environment like that, I asked Isabell?
I could see Isabell was a bit stumped, so I offered her a metaphor.

You get that by being the captain of your ship
If you are on a ship with your team and are the vessel's captain, would it make sense for you to be down in the bowels rowing with them?

• Nope

Would it make sense for you to be standing over their shoulder, making sure they are rowing properly?

• Nope

Would it make sense for you to be up at the top commanding the ship?

• Yes...however...
  
  

In a large ship, the captain isn't the one steering. An officer is doing that. I realize this is where the analogy falls off a bit with small teams. You are the one driving your organization or program. 

Therefore there are times you need to wear different hats. There are times you need to be steering, and there are times you also need to go down and check on your team. 

You need to 

• see who's burning out
• monitor to see how to create efficiencies
• notice who's excelling and should advance
• check in to see what resources are needed
• consider what training needs to be completed
• build relationships, encourage, support, mentor, cheer on and acknowledge their work, their skills, and connect with them as human beings
  
  

But you shouldn't be doing the rowing.

That's nice, but... 

Isabell sighed. I spend a lot of time watching over their shoulder and correcting them. I need more time for strategic thinking and planning. But here's my problem, if I don't do that, who will?

You trust them to do their job. I answered. 

• You hired them because they were skilled. 
• You believed in them and their capabilities. 
• You gave them training. 
• You showed them what to do. 

Let them do their job.

When they don't, you address the issue. 

How do you address poor performance??
Have a system in place (i.e. regular supervisor meetings with an ongoing agenda to track what they are working on) that allows you at intervals to check in on them. The sessions aren't only about what needs "addressed" but also what they want to talk about. It should be focused on their growth and helping them use their strengths to reach their full potential. 

Create a high-performing team
Imagine having a team of high performers, all using their strengths and spending the majority of time excelling. That happens when you focus on that part of their work, not only their mistakes and where they aren't measuring up. 

Stop standing behind them, waiting for them to make a mistake.

• That's not your job.
  
  

Your job is to steer the boat!

Use this system to lead your team
At this point in our coaching, Isabell and I moved over to the Staff Supervision That Transforms template. The template in this course helps you do the work of a leader while still holding your team accountable AND helping them reach their full potential!

This is what one member of The Training Library said about the Staff Supervision That Transforms template in a recent coaching call:

I am loving the Staff Supervision Tool! Here's why:

• It nicely addresses the gaps in my current supervision system. 
• I love that it's two-directional! 
• The ongoing nature of the document keeps us on track. 
• I am better able to support my employees to make progress and work on their goals 
• The best part is that it allows me to hold them accountable without icky conversations. 

To learn more about the template for effective supervision, check out the Staff Supervision That Transforms course inside The Training Library.

Do this:
✏️Each day in your daytime, journal or notebook for a week, answer this question

• How much of my time today was I up at the top of the ship?
  
  

Give yourself a percentage.

At the end of the week...
Look back over the week and find your average.

• If you are not happy with that average, then it's time to make some intentional changes!

Intentional personal and professional development is your path to success in both leadership and life! 
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Do the inner work. It's what will help you get out of survival mode and thrive!