We were asked, "What were your greatest stumbling blocks as a new manager?"
Paige’s article is a terrific introduction to this subject.
These are the four rookie manager mistakes described in the article:
Rookie mistake #1: Creating a blanket policy for one bad apple
Rookie mistake #2: Embracing the mantra, “do as I say, not as I do”
Rookie mistake #3: Fixing things that aren’t really broken
Rookie mistake #4: Not taking an interest in your employees’ futures
In my career, I’ve made all four of those mistakes, and lots of others. But the one I most remember, and most regret, is micromanaging.
Somehow, I couldn’t believe that other people could solve problems as effectively as I (thought I) could. My mantra was something like “for your own good,” or “for the organization’s good.”
It took me far too long to learn that other people’s solutions were simply other solutions than mine. Some might be worse than mine. Some might even be better. But most of all, they usually solved whatever problems we were dealing with. There was no need for me to push in with my approach.
I’ve gradually learned to reduce this micromanaging behavior. (I’ve never learned to stop completely.) As I’ve succeeded, I’ve noticed:
* people learn faster when allowed to make their own mistakes
* people listen to me more attentively on those few occasions when I do intervene
* I have more time for doing my own job
I strongly suggest that you loosen your grip on your own ideas and allow your employees and co-workers to implement theirs.
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