Episode Transcript
[00:00:00] If you're scared of micromanaging, here's the twist. The real problem isn't too much control. It's too little clarity. You're listening to why your business isn't growing and how to fix it, the business growth podcast for small business owners and SME leaders who want to scale, lift team performance and Sharpen leadership without 60 hour weeks.
[00:00:21] G'. Day. I'm Brendan Rogers. Most leaders avoid clarity because because they don't want to sound bossy. So we often soften the ask.
[00:00:30] We say things like get it to me asap, tidy it up, or keep me in the loop. That's not kindness, that's vagueness. And vagueness breeds micromanagement. Now I get it. You don't want to be that boss.
[00:00:46] No one wants to hover, no one wants to nag. And you flat out customers, cash team the lot. Keeping it light feels easier than giving hard directions.
[00:00:58] So here's the hard truth. When you hear don't micromanage me, it often means please don't hold me to unclear expectations.
[00:01:08] And I don't want to micromanage. Well, that often means I'm not being clear about the outcome, the measure and when we'll check in.
[00:01:17] It's not control that's killing momentum, it's vagueness.
[00:01:20] Vagueness creates guesswork, guesswork creates frustration, and frustration kills business growth. If any of these scenarios sound familiar, then you're dealing with vagueness, not a personality flaw. You're late for dinner because you're finishing a team member's task. You're constantly chasing updates and still not sure what's moving.
[00:01:42] Deadlines slip, errors multiply, and clients feel it. People leave because they don't get feedback or can't see what good looks like.
[00:01:52] Now, in a minute I'll give you the two minute script that kills 80% of your micromanaging me moments. So stay with me. Here's a quick coaching story. Ruby, not her real name, is a capable general manager. Her leader was very hands off because he didn't want to micromanage.
[00:02:11] Expectations lived in his head and feedback always came in late. We set three things up. A clear outcome, visible evidence, and a short check in rhythm. She had the same energy, just a better aim, which produced faster results and she was off to the races.
[00:02:33] Clarity beats control every time. Give people freedom inside a frame.
[00:02:38] Crystal clear outcomes with simple guardrails and known check ins.
[00:02:45] You lead the what and the when and they own the how.
[00:02:49] Now, let's take a quick pit stop. Try this. Now, think of one task on Your plate today.
[00:02:56] Ask yourself out loud, what does done look like in one sentence?
[00:03:02] If you can't say it simply, your team can't either. Now remember the two minute script I said I'd give you? Well, here it is. It's called the Clarity Contract.
[00:03:12] Say it out loud. When you assign real work, the first part is result.
[00:03:18] What's the result we're aiming for? If you can do this in one sentence, that makes it crystal clear evidence.
[00:03:26] I'll know it's done when I can see what an artifact or a metric?
[00:03:32] When?
[00:03:33] Show me a draft by a certain date and a certain time and the guardrails here are your boundaries. Could be budget, brand, risk, compliance related and help.
[00:03:47] What do you need from me to move fast?
[00:03:50] And that's it. It literally takes 90 seconds person to person and no hovering is needed.
[00:03:58] Small improvements every day. That's how serious growth happens.
[00:04:03] When outcomes are clear and check ins are regular, there are less surprises, less rework. Delivery speeds up and turnover slows.
[00:04:12] Now getting back to Ruby. Once the expectations were clear, for example, be on site for X days, have EX agreements ready by Friday and a 20 minute check in every Tuesday, she stopped fielding those random pings on her phone and started getting real stuff done. Her leader wasn't micromanaging, he was managing the outcome.
[00:04:35] Her confidence was up and her wasted time was down. The momentum is back to growing your business.
[00:04:42] Now I see it across all businesses, whether it be trades, clinics, SaaS, businesses, professional services, education, nonprofits.
[00:04:51] When the equation is hands off plus vague, it equals confusion. When the equation is hands off plus clear, it equals outcomes and results.
[00:05:03] Now here's a playbook you can follow.
[00:05:06] When you assign work to an employee, use questions like this. Before we wrap up, what does done look like in one sentence?
[00:05:15] What will you show me on Thursday at 10 o' clock to prove it's on track and any blockers I can remove so you can move quickly. When you receive work back, use questions like walk me through the result against the brief.
[00:05:31] Where did we hit the mark and where's the gap?
[00:05:35] And what's the next visible step? And by when.
[00:05:39] When you're speaking to someone who fears micromanagement, you use statements like this.
[00:05:44] I won't tell you how to do it. I'll be clear on the result and when we'll check in.
[00:05:50] You own the how, I own the outcome and the risk.
[00:05:55] And whenever you're unsure, be clear and upfront. With statements like this, I'm not 100% on the final result.
[00:06:03] Let's agree on the first milestone and we can make a final call by Thursday at 10am Bring two options. We'll pick one and go with it.
[00:06:15] And here are three pitfalls you want to avoid. The first is vague deadlines. Things like soon and ASAP aren't clear. Name a day and a time.
[00:06:27] The second? Invisible evidence. If you can't see progress, you're guessing.
[00:06:33] Ask for a draft of a mock up, a demo or a number.
[00:06:39] And third, Surprise feedback. Waiting a month to say I'm not happy isn't leadership. It's an ambush. Keep the cadence Now I remember a while ago working with a trade services business owner who told his team, I trust you, just get it done.
[00:06:57] And he regularly found that jobs overran margins were tight and inconsistent.
[00:07:03] So he shifted to clarity with his team. He set a Target finish by Friday 3pm Send photo evidence and client text confirmations.
[00:07:14] He put in guardrails. Maximum spend for example $1200 and call me if you hit $1000 and a check in 10 minutes at 8am every Wednesday.
[00:07:26] In four weeks, rework dropped and and positive customer reviews increase.
[00:07:32] There were no extra hours involved, just clearer frames of reference.
[00:07:38] Now I want you to do something for me. Now.
[00:07:40] Pause the podcast for 30 seconds and write one sentence.
[00:07:45] 4. Insert today's tasks done looks like.
[00:07:50] Insert what it looks like and you're back. If you did it, and I trust you did, then that's your first Clarity contract line.
[00:08:06] You remember that two minute script. You just use the first line.
[00:08:10] Now all you have to do is add evidence, a time frame, guardrails and help and watch the micromanage label disappear.
[00:08:20] So here's the problem.
[00:08:21] If work drifts, deadlines slip and you get accused of micromanaging, then that hits profit, impacts, trusts and affects your evenings.
[00:08:32] Use my free one page Clarity contract to set outcomes, not opinions.
[00:08:38] You can download it now at leaderbydesign auclarity Contract. The link's also in the show notes.
[00:08:47] Use it once this week and tell me about the win. Remember, micromanagement isn't the problem. Vagueness is lead with outcomes, not opinions.
[00:08:58] Set the frame, share the guardrails, keep a rhythm. That's how teams move faster and that's how leaders get their evenings back. I'm Brendan Rogers and this is why your business isn't growing and how to fix it. If this small business podcast episode helped you find, follow or subscribe and share it with one SME owner or leader, this leadership podcast is here to help you keep scaling a business without 60 hour weeks and if you haven't already, go and take the free High Impact Leader Assessment to learn your leadership level and next best move at LeaderByDesign AU assessment. Again, the link's in the show notes until next time. Grow yourself, grow your business SME, business owners and senior leaders tired of 60 hour weeks while cash flow crawls? Break free with my free 60 minute training the 5 habit method to boost cash flow without 60 hour weeks. Learn leadership habits that lift revenue, energize your team and let you clock off by five. You'll also see how the High Impact Leader membership delivers ongoing coaching and accountability and plug and play systems to elevate your career and company. Grab your seat at LeaderByDesign AU Impact.
