Keeping your team operating at peak efficiency in a fast-paced, dynamic business world can be challenging. If you’re constantly checking in on your team or micro-managing them, you’re probably not getting your best work from them, instead creating unnecessary stress for everyone involved. However, you’re probably over-empowering them if you’re not checking in on your team members enough or giving them the space they need to perform their best.

The challenge is striking the right balance between micro-management and empowering your team. Too much of either will negatively impact your company’s performance and reduce productivity among your team members. Understanding what these different levels of empowerment look like can help you strike that balance as an effective leader. Here are a few examples of both micro-management and under-empowerment that may help you identify where your organization is currently falling short:

What is Micro Management?

Micromanagement is an extreme form of micromanagement that involves excessive control over people, time, and processes. It often occurs when a manager is overbearing, obsessive, and has little trust in their employees — which can cause the entire team to lose motivation and productivity. Micromanagement is more than just keeping tabs on your team’s progress; it’s when you make the final decision on every aspect of their work. This type of management is stressful, time-consuming, and nearly impossible to sustain long-term. If you find yourself constantly checking in on your team or making decisions on their behalf, then you’re probably micro-managing. It’s important to note that this doesn’t necessarily mean you are a micro-manager. It just means that you may be leaning towards that side of the spectrum.

Over-Emphasizing Small Details.
To ensure that every element of your organization performs optimally, you may spend too much time micro-managing the small details. This can be detrimental to your team’s overall productivity, as it can cause them to lose focus on their bigger goals and objectives. But here is the thing: While it’s essential to check in on your team members and have clarity on their vision and purposes, it’s also important to let them operate at the level of autonomy they’re most comfortable with. Your team members should be independent to make small decisions impacting their productivity. A good rule of thumb is to check in with your team members regularly, but let them handle the more minor details independently.

Excessive Oversight.
Excessive oversight is the opposite of giving your team members the autonomy they need to thrive. You may fall into this trap if you need to check in on every decision your team makes. This can cause your team members to feel suffocated and unable to make their own decisions. While it’s essential to be in the loop and have clarity on your team members’ decisions, it’s also important to let them make those decisions independently. You don’t want your team to feel like they’re being micromanaged or have no autonomy in their roles.

Bottom line: Know When to Step Back.
As a leader, it’s natural to want to step in and solve every problem that arises. However, if you’re constantly intervening in situations where your team members should solve their problems, you may over-empower them. Giving members the autonomy and resources they need to solve problems is essential. However, it’s also important to intervene when members need your help or aren’t equipped enough to solve a problem on their own. This delicate balancing act may take some time to get used to. Learn to recognize when your team members should be solving their problems and when they need a little extra help.