5. Micromanaging vs Supporting
It can be difficult to strike the right balance between overmanaging and undermanaging people when theyāre working from home. A very useful maxim to follow is to check in with people rather than check up on them. If weāre checking up on people, thereās a serious risk we fall into micromanaging them, with all the associated problems that can generate, such as resentment and loss of initiative, responsibility and accountability. When we check-in with people, though, we make it clear weāre a resource to support them and that weāre ready to do whatever we can to remove barriers that are blocking their progress and effectiveness.
Whether itās an IT problem, lack of information, confusion about priorities or anything else thatās getting in the way, your time as a manager will be far better spent resolving troublesome issues, so the team can function to the very best of its ability. One important point here ā as a manager, thereās no need to do this all on your own ā identify subject matter experts in your team or the wider business who can form a support network for the most likely, frequent and critical problems home workers might face.