How to be supportive without being a micromanager

This post is written by Shabana Ansari, A/Research Manager, Immigration and Refugee Board (IRB) of Canada

The problem: Micromanagement may seem like a good way to make sure tasks are done “correctly” or “on time.”

Why it matters: However, extensive involvement or constant oversight by managers can do more harm than good and may negatively impact creativity, morale and productivity in the long run.

The solution: By creating and maintaining a culture of autonomy, trust, and support, we can help our team become more innovative and self-reliant.

(Note: I acknowledge my privilege as a non-disabled, neurotypical person and realise that the approach outlined in the article may not work for everyone, especially for those who may be disabled, neurodivergent, or struggling with issues I know nothing about.)

It doesn’t always feel that way, but micromanagers usually have their team’s best interests at heart. They want to offer support and ensure that tasks and projects get completed within scheduled timelines. Unfortunately, they end up doing just the opposite by stifling creativity and autonomy and demonstrating a lack of trust.

While advice, feedback and support from supervisors is indeed essential to a team’s success, unnecessary or unasked for assistance can be counterproductive and demoralizing.

If you find yourself getting extensively involved in – or monitoring the smallest details – of the tasks and projects your colleagues are working on, it is time to make changes.

Here are some ways in which we can we be supportive of our team’s efforts and contribute constructively without coming across as a micromanager:

1. Encourage two-way communication

The first step is to create an environment where staff feel comfortable sharing ideas and concerns. Consider replacing extensive monitoring with regular check-ins where employees can have open and honest conversations if they have encountered a problem and are unable to meet a deadline or adhere to quality standards.

2. Set clear expectations and guidelines

Outling each team member’s responsibilities within a project helps avoid misunderstanding and leaves no room for micromanagement. Instead of keeping tabs on your team’s every move, consider investing time in advance planning to ensure that everyone understands exactly what they are expected to be doing.

3. Keep an open mind

It’s tempting to want to influence colleagues into doing something a certain way because it had yielded expected results in the past. However, it is better to trust others to do a good job irrespective of the method they choose. When we focus on the result instead of how the task was done, we encourage fresher ideas and open our own mind to innovation.

4. Delegate with confidence

When we delegate tasks and trust our team to implement them effectively, we give them a chance to overcome challenges and find solutions along the way. This also helps them understand and work on their own shortcomings to avoid mistakes or delays in the future.

5. Provide the right tools and resources

If you have concerns regarding your team’s competence, consider investing in their training and development. With the right tools and resources, employees get more confident in their ability to get things done. Also, don’t forget to offer constructive feedback – that focuses on improvement and progress – instead of constant guidance.

6. Be present but resist over-involvement

Our level of involvement should be based on our team's needs. For example, some situations may require our long-term guidance while others may just need the clearing of some hurdles. It’s important to communicate our willingness to help but equally important to step in only when asked. An effective manager foresees upcoming challenges and offers advice and help, when necessary, without taking over the project completely

So, the next time we find ourselves falling into the rabbit hole that is micromanagement, remember that by trusting our team to do a good job we are:

• helping boost their overall job satisfaction

• creating more time that we can use on other aspects of our role.