A Leader, not a micro-manager

I attended a training session that laid out business policy, but then mentioned that occasionally there are extenuating circumstances and we have some leeway to “do the right thing.”  Isn’t that refreshing? 

How often have we told people,

“I’m sorry I can’t help you because…”

·         Company policy is

·         The rules state

·         I’ve been told

·         We do it this way

I’ll admit, I’ve been accused of being a “rule follower,” which would shock my parents if you look back at my teenage years (chuckle).  However, I have been known to bend a rule or two when I believe it is the right thing to do.

One of the best leaders I have worked

(okay, volunteered) with was someone who put people in positions that he was confident they could excel at and then let them do their thing.  He was not looking over our shoulder or requiring that we report to him on every decision we made.  He trusted that we would do the right thing.

Leaders must learn to delegate, or they will become overwhelmed and stressed out trying to do everything themselves. I often use his example and choose volunteers I trust to follow the policy, and yet… make decisions that might be bending the rules if it can help someone else.   It’s so freeing to know you’ve got people who can make wise decisions working with you.

 

What type of a leader are you? 

Do you hover over your employees/volunteers/students/children or do you train them properly and trust them to make judgment calls?  Do you lead by example?

If you think about it a minute…

what type of person would you prefer to be your leader?

My guess is most people would like to feel that they have been well trained and are able to make decisions without checking with their superior for every little thing.

If you are reading this and discovering you are a micro-manager and would like to experience the freedom of delegating to others with confidence, you may want to check out Jim’s information about Leadership Coaching.  It may be time you give people permission to “do the right thing.”

If you’d like some encouragement about doing the right thing, Pam is reading Pay It Forward, by Catherine Ryan Hyde on the Mrs Pam Reads YouTube channel. Check it out!