Join us Dec 20. for our free webinar on attracting top talent, fueling productivity and building a brag-worthy culture. Register Now »
I need to get something off my chest. Early in my career, when I first had employees working for me, I was a micromanager. It’s not something I’m proud of, but I was so focused on how their work reflected on me as a manager that I found it difficult to overcome my need to control what they did.
And that wasn’t wise: Instead of nurturing my employees’ strengths, my micromanagement was driving a wedge between me and them. Every day, I could see the unnecessary stress I was putting on everyone. Had I continued down that path, the consequences might have been deadly. Literally.
While the negative health impacts of high-stress jobs have been known for years, new research has found that mixing that stress with micromanagement increases the odds of employees’ early deaths.
This November study from the Indiana University Kelley School of Business looked at how stress and levels of control affected 2,363 employees. When comparing highly-demanding jobs, those that also gave employees less control were associated with a 15.4 percent increased chance of death.
While no one wishes an early grave on their employees, micromanagers can still find it difficult to loosen the reins. Instead of thinking about the control being given up, however, they should focus on what’s gained by backing off.
Here are five ways to trade in micromanagement for a healthier and more productive leadership style:
1. Include employees in the goal-setting.
At the heart of my own micromanagement tendencies was the fear that my employees would make me look bad. If they failed, that outcome would tell our overall boss that I was a failure. Because of that fear the goals I set for my staffers weren’t based on their individual potential, but rather what I wanted from them. Understandably, they weren’t exactly motivated.
The key, then, is to get employees involved with the goal-setting process so they can see purpose in their work. Unfortunately, that sense of accomplishment is something many lack.
The 2016 Employee Job Satisfaction and Engagement report from the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) looked at 600 employees’ feelings about their jobs. Only 30 percent of respondents were satisfied with how their work contributed to the overall success of the company.
The message? Sit down and have a conversation with employees about the organization’s…