Many of the business leaders we work with struggle with the same challenge: being able to let go and empower those around them. We see this time and again in our work - despite the skills and experience of their team, leaders often find it difficult to relinquish control and give their people the freedom to deliver. This can leave business leaders feeling overwhelmed by the amount of work continuously piling up at their desk.
Why should you learn to let go?
Beyond its impact on the individual, our inability to let go can negatively affect company culture. Micromanagement and overbearing leadership can create an unhealthy dynamic of distrust, siloed working, and poor communication which can seriously damage morale, increase turnover, and negatively impact well-being in the workplace.
A positive, empowering company culture:
Trusts employees to make decisions
Encourages a sense of ownership and accountability
Fosters respect and inclusion
Recognises employee contributions
Promotes collaboration and positive social connection
Businesses which are able to establish such work practices are more likely to be high performing and adaptable to change, as employees feel valued for their individual contributions and responsible for collective outputs.
Build and maintain a culture founded on trust and accountability through:
Giving up the perfectionism mindset
A piece of work might not have been delivered exactly the way you would have done it, but does that mean it is any less valuable? Save yourself some time and avoid undermining your team’s confidence by resisting the urge to oversee every single aspect of their work, or pick out minor flaws. Instead, demonstrate trust in their ability, give your team the space to learn through experience, and provide them with the right developmental feedback at the appropriate time.
Letting your team identify the solution
As much as it goes against your instincts, present your team with the challenge, rather than the solution. Talk about the outcomes you would like to achieve, as well as the overall vision and goals for your business. Challenge your team to work creatively and provide them with the freedom to find the best way of doing the job.
Empowerment does require taking a leap of faith on your part, but you will undoubtedly be able to reap the benefits when you see your people taking greater ownership and accountability in their work.
Culture is inextricably linked to business success and growth. Therefore, it is every business’ responsibility to regularly assess and understand culture.
Take the first step – get in touch to find out how Proud Consulting can support you to reach your business growth aspirations though the power of culture: