The disruption from the coronavirus pandemic has turned a few of you into a micromanager at work. It’s understandable for leaders, as routines have been shattered and unexpected demands have appeared.
Many leaders are looking for a new normal and are doing a good job of adapting to the challenges of social-distancing.
At the same time, there are complaints about leaders being a little too involved in the day-to-day work of employees. The virtual separation has either created some extra time for leaders, looking to help, or doubt that employees are performing as well as needed.
Let’s see if we can discover your right balance of supervision with these tips:
A Micromanager at Work is Looking for Control
Who can blame you for looking for some stability at a time when there is so much uncertainty. But if this manifests as your needing to touch every piece of an employee’s work, then you’ve gone too far.
If you’ve hired good people, given them proper directions, and the tools to accomplish things, then you’ve done your job.
As always, you can evaluate the results to consider improvements to a process but don’t investigate every process just because you have some extra time on your hands.
Also, acknowledge there will be some situations you can’t control. While it may be frustrating to have an employee’s child distracting everyone during a virtual meeting, these things are going to happen. When people are working from home, the home world will sometimes enter the virtual workplace.
Are You Googling Employee Expertise?
Some leaders may have fewer meetings at a result of the coronavirus. Those people may be searching for new ways to contribute to the organization. Before long, they start learning and making suggestions about employee jobs.
This isn’t about the nature of a position but the performing of the work.
The problem is that you’ve hired someone, with specific knowledge, to perform the job. You don’t have that knowledge but you have Google. So you start researching.
Think of it like someone who has just watched a legal drama, like Perry Mason, and now is giving legal advice to a lawyer. You’re putting the expert in an awkward position, where he or she has to spend time and be distracted by your discoveries, some of which may be old news.
The Two Questions
How can you support your employees, while letting them do their work? There are two good questions you should ask:
- “How are you?”
- “What can I do to support your work?”
The first acknowledges the stress and challenges that may be affecting an employee. You may not be able to solve any of these issues but simply asking serves a purpose. You’re showing a different kind of leadership.
The second question empowers the employee and allows you the chance to become more involved in that person’s work.
This is also a good question to ask because some employees may face a challenge but suffer in silence or feel nothing can be done about it.
Ken Okel Performs Virtual Keynotes Too
