Micromanaging Micro Growth

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Micromanaging Your Micro Business Growth – How to Avoid the Pitfalls and Get Outstanding Results. Many business owners invest heavily in time and money, particularly during the fledging years of running a business. There’s always something that needs to be done, changed, or improved upon. I’m sure that most business owners would agree that running a business is a continuous cycle of learning, adapting, and growing.   

As a business expands, it’s easy to get overwhelmed by balancing everything from marketing, sales, people, to finance. The key is understanding how best to utilise micromanagement techniques – without taking these efforts too far! By learning how to maximise this crucial management skill, you can ensure that your business follows the path to success. 

Finding The Right Balance

It is possible to micromanage strategically to achieve results without stifling employees and becoming a control freak. Instead, you can gradually free yourself from certain roles and responsibilities. It is a quandary, though, when on the one hand, you want to maintain an element of control to make sure that everything is done right. On the other hand, you want to grow and expand. It’s all about balance – finding the equilibrium between controlling and developing. 

An overpowering desire to control can lead to micromanaging, which can hinder performance, growth, and results. Furthermore, it can leave employees or suppliers that you outsource to, feeling undervalued and demotivated and make them want to leave. So, let’s explore some of the pitfalls and solutions that will help you get outstanding results. 

Set Priorities And Goals

An effective way to avoid micromanaging is to set clear priorities and goals for your business. There may be times when you’re constantly ‘plate spinning’ and working on several projects at once. Take some time out to identify your business priorities. Set a clear direction and focus so that you’re working towards achieving your overall business goals. Having a clear direction and focus will help you avoid getting stuck in the nitty gritty of micromanaging your business and the people within it. 

Get Out Of Your Own Way

One of the biggest perils of micromanaging is the desire to do everything yourself. Not only could this be detrimental to your business, but it could also damage your health and wellbeing. I know from experience that mastering the art of delegating isn’t easy when it’s your own business. I had to get over myself and get out of my own way before I learned that delegating to the right people is like the gift that keeps on giving. The more you delegate, the easier it becomes, and the easier it becomes, the more you delegate. It’s getting started that’s the hard bit! 

Start small, build trust, and gradually delegate as much as you can. When you first start delegating for success, it’s difficult to imagine that someone else could do things as well as you, let alone contemplate that they could do it even better than you can. One of the keys to success is finding people who can do things better than you. Empower your team and let them take ownership of their own work. Provide clear objectives, instructions and set expectations. Do periodic checks to make sure everything is on track but let them crack on with it. The pressure this alleviates, the relief that you will feel, and the business rewards will be oh so worth it! 

Build Trust with Your Team 

Trust is key to avoiding micromanagement. When you trust your team, you’re more likely to delegate effectively and give them the space to thrive. Building trust takes time, but there are several ways to boost trust quickly. Start by communicating clearly and regularly, being totally transparent about your expectations. Transparency and recognition can go a long way in building a trusting relationship with your team. Recognition and reward are important too – making your team trust that you have their best interests at heart. I remember when a member of my team once explained that one of things that she loved most about working with me, was the fact that I thanked her every day, which she had never experienced before. Proof that trust and gratitude are essential to people management. How a team feels will ultimately impact the future success, or indeed the failure, of a business.  

Empowerment Isn’t A Cliche

Empowering your team is one of the most effective ways to avoid micromanaging. When you empower your team, you’re giving them the tools they need to make decisions and solve problems independently. This can take many forms, such as providing training opportunities, giving them more autonomy over their work, and inviting their input on key decisions. By empowering your team, you’ll free up your time and energy to focus on growing your business. This will encourage an ‘us’ and ‘we’ culture, which can be crucial to business growth and success. Without empowerment, you can’t have a truly cohesive environment and team culture, which is crucial to a small business’s success. 

Growth Is A Journey

Running a small business is a demanding task and it can be exceptionally challenging, but it’s also incredibly rewarding. If you want your business to grow and thrive, it’s essential to avoid micromanaging and instead focus on delegation, goal setting, building trust, and empowering your team. Whether your team is made up of employees or outsourced suppliers, by following these strategies, you’ll be able to achieve outstanding results, while maintaining control over your business. Remember, though, that growth is a journey, and it’s essential to have a supportive team by your side. People are the soul of your business. Manage them appropriately and you will get the results you desire. Find the right balance and tip the scales towards success! 

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Tracy Heatley
Tracy Heatley MBA, FCIM is a Chartered Marketer and Award Winning Networking Specialist with over 25 years marketing, and networking experience; having successfully run several networking groups in the North West for over a decade. She is also an Award Winning Broadcaster, Radio Presenter, Podcaster and experienced Public Speaker, Events Host and Ceremony MC. She has appeared on BBC Radio 5 Live Wake Up to Money show and Yahoo Finance Her impact and influence has resulted in remarkable results for her clients including tripling their turnover within 6 weeks of working with her, winning more clients and cases in the court room thanks to improved communication skills; identifying hidden markets in their industry so they can become the market leader, and overcoming the fear of starting a new business. Tracy thrives on helping small businesses and start-ups discover and implement new ideas to turn their fortunes around and become profitable and sustainable in whatever climate. Yes, even in a recession! In fact, she even turned her own fortunes around in the last recession of 2008. Here is her podcast: https://www.tracyheatley.com/business-podcasts/ and Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/255181548818865