Don’t ask someone to manage if you don’t believe they would manage

Micromanagement creates a lot of friction. I believe it is the result of leaders not really understanding the full scope of the term “Manage” when they appoint people to be managers.

When we read the definition of the term “manage” we see that it has two parts:

1. To be in charge. to administer. To run.
2. To succeed and surviving or attaining one’s aims, especially against heavy odds.

This means that if want someone to manage we need to ask ourselves two questions:

1. What is the area we want them to be in charge of?
2. How strongly do we believe they are capable of surviving this role and succeeding in attaining their aims especially against heavy odds?

Micromanagement happens when we as leaders focus on the first question and define the area of responsibility while neglecting the second question. We appoint the manager without really spending the required time to establish and commit to our belief in the person we are appointing as manager.

Part 1: “To be in charge. To administer. To run”

It is true that a lot of management has to do with the first part of the definition “be in charge” and this is why when we appoint a person as a manager the first thing we want to know is their “roles & responsibilities”.

Roles = one’s position on a team
Responsibilities = the tasks and duties of their particular role

Most people get the “roles and responsibilities” part right. The problems, and micromanagement, don’t start until the person we appointed as a manager actually want to be in change.

It starts, one day, as the appointed manager wakes up and realizes that “responsibility” is just a checklist of tasks and duties to be done. They realize that “being in charge” really means accepting accountability on an OUTCOME and being TRUSTED to succeed no matter the odds.

Part 2: “To succeed in surviving or attaining one's aims, especially against heavy odds. To cope”

This is the hidden part of the management formula. It is what we sometimes miss about the definition of management when we appoint managers and is at the heart of micromanagement.

I believe that if we want people to really manage we need to replace “Roles & Responsibilities” with “Strengths & Accountability”.

Strengths = the reason we are considering to make you a manager. It is a literal list of why we BELIEVE in you. The signals we collected in your past choices and actions that make us think you are ready to manage.

Accountability = What we COUNT on you for. Accountability is an image of the future we expect you to create. The change we expect you to drive in the area you will lead. Notice that when we assign accountability we’re telling the manager “This is WHERE we need to be in X time. We’ll meet you there!”. We are pointing at WHERE (the goal) without going into “HOW” we will get there (The task).

We are switching from responsibilities to accountabilities.

Believing is the key to autonomy

Without the second part of the management formula, there is no autonomy.

If we entrust a person with an image of the future and tell them we count on them to get us there this means we need to BELIEVE they know HOW to get us there.

When we don’t believe that our manager is capable and knows HOW to get us to the destination we pointed at then, before we notice it, we are in the meeting with them insisting we know HOW we get there.

It is OK if it happens now and then, in critical junctions, and as part of the mentoring process. But when we as a leader fail to believe that our manager can succeed in getting us to the destination we pointed at, then we are stripping our manager of their autonomy. And there is no true management without autonomy.

Believe in our manager or manage ourselves

So before we appoint someone as a manager lets ask ourselves:

1. What is the change we count on this person to drive? What is the image of the future we entrust in them?
2. Do we believe they would be able to shape that future even in heavy odds?
3. What are their unique strengths that make us believe they can do it?
4. What signals do we have in their past performance that they will MANAGE?

If we don’t have good answers to these questions. If we don’t feel we truly believe that person will MANAGE let’s not promote them to manage. Because no one can truly succeed as a manager if we don't BELIEVE in them!