Five Ways To Give Your Employees More Room (09-02-11, Mumbai, Economic Times)

THEY ARE THE CONTROL FREAKS, AND invariably have a presence in every organisation. You know the type — taking charge all the time, micromanaging every situation. As leaders, they are not very popular, for one simple reason: Taking care of every detail is great till you are a team member. The moment you graduate to being a team leader, it can derail performance both for the team and the leader, which is the last thing any organisation wants. Here is how you can learn to delegate better, says Shreya Biswas.

Accept you are a leader
Rohit Pattanaik, a Delhi-based senior banker, has always been a hands-on individual. The last 15 years of his professional life has been about taking control of every situation and delivering. Ironically, this habit of micromanaging is taking him down in his role as a leader, feel his peers and seniors. The main objective of a leader is to get the work done. By all means, help subordinates with ideas, inputs and suggestions when needed. A leader does not work on his subordinate’s behalf. Accept this and stop taking over everything, each time.

Control isn’t always good
Don’t feel insecure in letting go. You have proved yourself all these years, you don’t need to do that every time you have a project at hand. "If you were not technically sound you wouldn’t be appointed a leader. To succeed as a leader, leave the worker attitude behind," says Daljit Singh, president strategy and organisational development, Fortis Healthcare.

You’re not the only one
Stop being obsessed with your self. The way you do things is the not the only way to do it. “There might be people in your team who can do a job equally well or even better than you. Have faith in them,” says Sanjay Gupta, global head, HR, EXL Services. Figure out their strengths and delegate work accordingly. This will take the extra burden off you and ensure maximum utilisation of resources.

Build your team’s confidence
Create an environment that allows your juniors to talk about problems and solutions openly. They can offer suggestions that can better both individual and team performance. “A good leader is able to generate enthusiasm among people,” says Fortis’ Singh.

Remember the common cause
Whatever you do, you should always keep in mind the common goal — the organisation’s growth. If your team meets deadlines and performs well, it will be your success and ultimately the organisation’s. You have to see every action in that light.