Are you a Control Freak?

                As a type A personality I confess I can be a real pain to other people.  I often struggle with wanting control and I think that in having complete control I am leading well.  The first problem with that thinking is I can only control so much therefore I limit my effectiveness.  The second problem with that is I may think I am empowering others when I give them a project to work on, but in reality I am not.

                “You are giving away control” you may say thinking that you are empowering.  What happens after the project, job, task is handed off?  This reveals the truth of whether I am a truly empowering leader.  I once had a boss who did not understand the details of my daily work and expected me to do certain aspects in a particular way without taking time to understand what I do.  This boss is an example of a micromanager.

When I hand off a task and then try to make sure the task is done exactly how I would do it . . . I am neither delegating nor empowering, but I am micromanaging and probably making that individual or team feel like they are chained down.  On the other hand if I provide expectations and the end goal I want accomplished and check in on progress on a regular basis I am then macromanaging and empowering others.  In his book The New Psycho-Cybernetics Dr. Maxwell Maltz states:  “The micromanager often inhibits the growth and prosperity of the organization; the macromanager often liberates it.”

As a leader and person I want people to feel empowered to use their talents and abilities to lead and grow to their full potential.  I need to be aware of my own insecurities, provide clear direction and see the reality that others can do many projects better than me.  General George S. Patton put it this way:  “Never tell people how to do things.  Tell them what to do and they will surprise you with their ingenuity.” (emphasis added)

Are you like me and you need to simply take a deep breath, relax, and trust the competent people around you?  When we do this better we add value to others and are on our way to becoming leaders that others will want to follow.

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Posted by Randy Wheeler