Hands-on Manager or Micromanager: It's Time to Know the Truth

Do people in your company find it difficult to please you? Do you feel like your team members aren't doing their best whenever you give them work assignments?

Every day, you're there sitting in your office, trying to reassess your team members' performance. You know they're qualified, skilled, and capable, yet they just can't seem to reach your standards. This means you think you have to constantly check on them.

If this scenario perfectly describes how you are as a manager, then something is wrong — not with you or your employees, but with your management style.

So, which of the following management styles do you believe best reflects your present management style: hands-on management or micromanagement? Not sure which of the two you’ve been doing?

Don't worry!

Our top Florida SEO managers will help you rethink how you should be dealing with employees in your workplace by sharing the key differences between hands-on management and micromanagement.

We'll also give you three tips on how you can transition from a chronic micromanager to an effective hands-on manager.

Hands-on Management vs. Micromanagement

The line between hands-on management and micromanagement can be a very fine one. While the goal of managing is to oversee a company's workflow in order to achieve positive results, different management styles can have very different effects.

With hands-on management, it's essential to know where to draw the line between keeping an eye on employees and intervening excessively. By doing so, both the employees and the company create an empowered and well-trained workforce.

On the other hand, micromanagement blurs the line between work intervention and freedom. As a result, employee morale and profitability will suffer because the company's workforce will be unable to develop and implement creative solutions to problems.

What Is a Hands-on Manager?

A hands-on manager is one that constantly interacts with their employees and is very engaged in their workplace. Hands-on managers enable their staff to perform their duties without interfering. They only intervene when needed.

In addition, hands-on managers usually do the same tasks as their employees. They understand how to lead by example.

If you're a hands-on manager, you're definitely enjoying the following benefits:

• A comprehensive and perceptive understanding of your company. The willingness of such managers to get their hands dirty often earns them the respect of their employees.
• An established and task-oriented workforce. It helps keep employees focused on accomplishing their goals because the manager is regularly involved in operations.
• More employee and customer feedback. When approached with an open mind, both employee and customer feedback can be leveraged to improve your performance as a manager.

Remember that routinely checking in on your team and trusting them when necessary helps you become a more successful manager.

What Is a Micromanager?

A micromanager is one that is overly involved with their employees' actions and excessively supervises them. Usually, this type of manager has genuine intentions and is passionate about their team's performance, but they can optimize their management by providing their workforce a certain degree of independence.

Let's have a quick assessment. Are you...

• Asking for updates from employees frequently?
• Requesting to be included in practically every email sent by workers?
• Making decisions on your own rather than enabling workers to do so?
• Demanding comprehensive reports regularly?
• Avoiding delegating responsibilities to employees?
• Re-doing your employees' job after they have already completed it?

If you're doing at least two or three of the six things mentioned above, then you're definitely a micromanager!

3 Tips to Become a Hands-on Manager

1. Strengthen Your Leadership Skills

Hands-on managers make effective leaders because they have proficiency in communication, connection development, and critical thinking.

If you're looking for ways to strengthen your leadership skills, you have to be willing to learn first. Just because you're successful in one of your roles as a manager doesn't mean you know everything there is to know about employee management.  

You need to keep in mind that there's always a potential for growth and improvement.

You can hone your leadership skills by:

• Enrolling in leadership classes
• Attending a seminar or a conference for business leaders
• Reading books and articles about leadership and employee management

Once you have strong leadership skills, your employees will feel that they are being led by someone whom they can approach and rely on at all times.

2. Motivate Your Employees

For hands-on managers, employee engagement and motivation should be at the top of the priority list. Our Florida SEO managers have discovered that motivation is critical to keeping in-house and remote employees feeling happy and appreciated in their jobs, regardless of location.

In addition, motivating your employees allows you to stay in touch with them while still giving them autonomy or control over their work.

You can motivate your employees by learning what inspires them. As well, it’s useful to implement motivational strategies such as performance bonuses or employee-of-the-month initiatives.

3. Learn When to Intervene

When you delegate a task to an employee, you obviously want them to do their best. At the same time, you need to try not to intervene when you know they can do their tasks independently. This helps in establishing autonomy and building trust with your team.

The key is keeping constant communication with your employees, so you understand when they need help. You probably need to intervene if you notice your staff doing the following:

• Not meeting deadlines regularly
• A shift in behavior
• A noticeable drop in productivity
• A noticeable degree of rising stress levels

As a manager, intervening isn't bad, but knowing when to do so is crucial because it can affect your overall relationship with your employees. It can lead to amazing decisions, process improvements, new ideas, and improved relationships when done correctly.

Avoid Becoming a Chronic Micromanager

The best managers avoid the micromanagement trap while still making themselves available to their employees. Having faith in your team while still offering direction and mentoring as needed will allow you to be a more effective manager.

If you want to be as effective and efficient as our Florida SEO managers, read more of our blog posts at Digital Resource. We have more exciting business topics that are tailored just for you.

Contact us today to learn more about our digital marketing services.