Sink or swim? Do you trust your employees/co-workers?
If you are like me, you have a hard time delegating. You like having control over a process and have a hard time letting go. Luckily, I have learned to combat this initial reaction of mine and trust the people around me. At least initially. If you screw up it takes quite a bit to win my trust back. What can I say, I’m inclined to hold grudges.
How do you manage your employees or work with your peers? Do you hover over them to make sure they are getting the job done, or do you step back and let them run things their way? Do you presumptively step in to help out when you perceive a problem? Do you feel like if you don’t do it, it won’t get done and the whole company will go to hell? If you answered yes to any of these questions you need to take a deep breath and step back for a second.
If you are making it your job to be on top of every one’s work, even if you are their manager, you are wasting your time and bringing needless amounts of stress upon yourself. Instead of being strategic, innovative, or customer-focused, you are being a control freak. Sometimes, you need to trust people and let them sink or swim on their own merits. If they have always been reliable, why are you watching them like a hawk? If you are afraid they are going to mess up, why are you saving them and covering up their inadequacies?
Now, repeat after me: It is not my sole responsibility to make sure the company succeeds. Take another deep breath and then repeat this: Unless proven otherwise, I need to trust people to do their job.
Trust people and you will often be surprised by what you get. Give people an opportunity to fail and it will be a great learning experience for the both of you. You can’t learn to swim if you aren’t put in a situation where you might sink.
