Struggling To Avoid Micromanaging? Servant Leadership is The Solution

As an employee, I always prided myself in doing things perfectly. I had a system, and it gave me results. Striving for perfection in your work is a good quality when working under someone. But when you are calling the shots, it’s one of the things that will not help when trying to avoid micromanaging.

That’s what happened to me. The first time someone put me in charge of other people’s work, I became the ultimate micromanager. It’s not like I wanted to, but it was my first ‘command,’ and I wanted to make a good impression. 

I wanted my superiors to know that I could lead others to do what I could. The only way I thought I could do that was by making sure they did everything the way I did—right down to my shoelace-tying method. 

I was micromanaging.

More than that, I was wasting time checking every single detail. Yes, the quality was excellent, but at the cost of productivity. There had to be a better way, right?

I did not realize it then, but it also affected the people I was leading. Yes, they were frustrated with me because who wouldn’t? However, they also became less confident in their skills and knowledge to get the work done and solve problems.

I created a culture of tension and unhealthy dependence.

Trusting your people to get things done on their own is hard. But it’s not impossible. You just need to switch your leadership style and focus a lot more on taking care of your people.

Servant leadership that’s the answer. 

The Difference Between A Servant Leader And Micromanager

Servant leadership and micromanagement are two very different approaches to management and leadership. While some people believe that being a servant leader can lead to micromanaging, it’s not the case.

Understanding the difference between these two styles is important for fostering a positive and productive work environment.

The servant leader focuses on empowering and supporting their team. They believe that their primary role is to serve the needs of their employees, helping them grow, succeed, and achieve their full potential.

This type of leader is focused on the development of their team members, encouraging collaboration, creativity, and autonomy.

A servant leader leads by listening, provides guidance when needed, and trusts their team to take ownership of their work. They avoid micromanaging every little detail. 

The result is a motivated, engaged, and high-performing team that feels valued and respected.

A micromanager, on the other hand, shows excessive control over the details of their team’s work. They often believe that they must oversee every aspect of a project to ensure it is done correctly.

This approach often comes from a lack of trust in the team’s abilities, leading to constant monitoring, correcting, and directing. Micromanagers tend to focus on minor details rather than the bigger picture.

Unfortunately, it can kill creativity, reduce morale, and lead to frustration among team members. Employees under a micromanager feel undervalued, restricted, and unable to grow or contribute meaningfully.

In summary, while a servant leader builds a thriving, empowered team through trust and support, a micromanager risks killing the potential of their team by exerting too much control. 

So, if you want to avoid micromanaging, you need to be the first guy who empowers rather than creates dependency. 

7 Ways To Avoid Micromanaging With Servant Leadership

Empower Your Team

A big part of being a servant leader is raising leaders of your own. If not, create a team that can take ownership, make decisions confidently, and approach their work with nerve, whether or not the boss is in.

You can only do this by empowering them. 

As a servant leader, you provide the tools and resources they need but allow them the freedom to approach tasks in their own way. It builds confidence and fosters creativity, leading to a more engaged and motivated team.

By stepping back and letting your team handle responsibilities, you avoid the pitfalls of micromanagement, where constant oversight can suppress innovation and create a sense of mistrust.

Practice Active Listening

If you are only leading by speaking, it’s time to take a break and listen more. And not just hear, really listen to what your people have to say, whether it’s good or bad.

Active listening is a key and necessary part of servant leadership. It involves truly hearing your team members’ concerns, ideas, and feedback without immediately jumping in with your own opinions.

The temptation to interrupt, offer a solution, opinion, and counter is great. But it can wait; it should always wait till your team member is done talking.

And don’t just listen to give a response. Really try to understand where they are coming from and what they are saying so you can avoid micromanaging. 

By listening actively, you show respect for their viewpoints and give them space to express themselves. This approach helps you better understand your team’s needs and allows them to feel valued, reducing the need for micromanagement as you build a culture of open communication and trust.

Delegate Effectively

Do you know how you’d be more comfortable handling tasks alone? You can’t do that and must learn to let go of tasks. Not just assigning, but also letting them go from your mind.

Delegation is not just about assigning tasks but also about entrusting your team with meaningful responsibilities. Effective delegation involves clearly defining expectations and outcomes while giving your team the autonomy to determine the best way to achieve them.

Autonomy is important, so trust your team to do it alone, no matter how tempted you feel to intervene. This approach not only empowers employees but also helps you avoid micromanaging. 

By delegating effectively, you focus on strategic leadership while your team grows in confidence and competence; thus, you avoid micromanaging.

Encourage a Culture of Trust

Trust is the foundation of servant leadership. When you trust your team, you avoid micromanaging since you don’t have the urge to control every aspect of their work.

I’ve experienced just how tough it can be to let others help you with your work. That’s why every time someone hires me for a job, I must thank them for trusting me. It’s not easy to trust, but it is necessary as a servant leader. 

Building trust involves being transparent, keeping your promises, and showing confidence in your team’s abilities. The trust encourages employees to take initiative and make decisions without fear of constant scrutiny.

A culture of trust reduces the need for micromanagement, as team members feel supported and are more likely to take ownership of their work, whether they are doing good or making mistakes. 

Give Constructive Feedback

You can do 99 successful things, but people tend to remember the one thing you could not. Strive to avoid being among those people when it comes to your team.

Instead of nitpicking on minor details, focus on providing constructive feedback that helps your team grow. And just to be clear, feedback should be forward-looking and aimed at improving future performance rather than focusing on past mistakes.

This approach encourages your team to learn and grow without making employees feel micromanaged. By focusing on outcomes and improvement, you avoid micromanaging while helping your team members develop their skills.

Encourage Open Communication

Servant leaders create environments where open communication is encouraged. This means your team feels comfortable sharing ideas, challenges, and feedback without fear of judgment.

Remember when you weren’t in a position of power? How much you wished you could just talk to that manager without the fear of being made fun of or threatened with losing your job?

Don’t turn into that manager. Show your people that they can talk to you openly.

Open communication helps to identify issues before they escalate and promotes collaboration. By encouraging dialogue, you avoid micromanaging, as your team members are more likely to come to you with problems and solutions.

Lead with Empathy

Finally, always remember that empathy is at the heart of servant leadership. By understanding and sharing the feelings of your team members, you can better support their needs and aspirations.

Do not think of it as getting your feelings involved at work. It’s just seeing your people as they are, humans with many layers. 

Leading with empathy helps you create a work environment where employees feel understood and valued, which naturally reduces the tendency to micromanage.

When team members know their leader cares about their well-being, they are more motivated to perform at their best, requiring less direct supervision.

The Servant Leader Performs Better Than The Micromanager

Being hung up on every little detail will harm the company. Yes, you will get the work you want, but as I said, there is a better way to do it.

Micromanaging creates employees who are too scared to share their ideas, worried about making even the smallest of decisions, and frustrated with their managers. There is nothing healthy about it.

On the other hand, servant leadership means you have people who are empowered and confident in what they do. In addition, they are willing to take responsibility for their work, whether it’s good or bad. So, if you are trying to be more like the second guy, avoid micromanaging and see your team succeed.