Micromanaging is a classic leadership mistake.
You were hired to manage the team because you were an excellent individual performer. And now you want everyone to perform at the same high level. So you are constantly looking over their shoulders.
You don’t want to micromanage, but you need to know what is going on – and that things are being done properly. What do you do?
Drawing on a recent Harvard Business Review article, here are a few strategies to help you stay in the loop without falling into the trap of micromanagement.
- Focus on Outcomes, Not Tasks. Instead of getting bogged down in every detail of a project, focus on the outcomes. Come to agreement with your colleague on milestones that should be met on the way to the final outcome. Shift your check-ins from “What are you doing today?” to “What progress have you made toward the milestones?” This approach trusts your team to manage their own time and methods while keeping everyone aligned on the ultimate objective.
- Use Project Management Tools Effectively. Leverage tools to your advantage. Platforms like Asana, Microsoft Project, Trello, or Jira can provide a shared, transparent view of project progress without requiring constant interruptions. You can track milestones and deadlines, giving you peace of mind and freeing up your team to do their best work. These tools also help team members coordinate work together.
- Schedule Proactive, Not Reactive, Check-ins. Don’t wait for a problem to emerge before you check in. Instead, schedule regular, predictable check-ins. This could be a 15-minute bi-weekly stand-up or a quick one-on-one. Proactive communication builds trust and helps you spot potential issues early, so you can offer support before they become crises.
- Not All Projects are the Same. Evaluate each project your team members are working on and set a check-in schedule based on its importance. Similarly, this can guide you on how detailed of an update you need. If a project is truly “mission critical,” you may need to be assured that everything is being done exactly right. Other projects will require less scrutiny.
No one wants to be known as a micromanaging jerk of a boss. But you also can’t have your important team projects fail. By adopting these strategies, you can maintain a clear line of sight into your team’s work, foster a culture of trust and autonomy, and ultimately lead more effectively.
*Ideas for this blog taken from: Wilding, M. “How to Stay on Top of Your Team’s Projects – Without Micromanaging,” Harvard Business Review online, July 28, 2025.
