Good leaders can possess a variety of traits, from confidence to charisma. But whether you’re leading a small business, a big corporation, a class of students or a family, effective leadership often comes down to having the ability to inspire others to achieve certain outcomes. That means learning how to delegate and manage challenges along the way.
While trusting others to accomplish goals sounds straightforward, micromanagement—the tendency to control every part of a task, project or enterprise—has serious setbacks. In the business world, it can slow company growth, discourage employees, lower job satisfaction and engagement, and cause frustrating situations for all parties involved (particularly the micromanager and the person being managed).
The impact of micromanagement
Penny Zenker—a tech entrepreneur turned business strategy coach, and an author and speaker on the psychology of productivity—calls herself a “recovering” micromanager. She’s witnessed the negative outcomes of micromanaging first hand.
“I was working with some CEOs who would come to me and say that their team wasn’t accountable, that they felt like there was a problem,” she says. “And to me, when the team is not showing accountability, it’s very often… that I find that the leader is micromanaging—so they’re actually taking the power away [from employees].”
The need for control, a fear of failure and a lack of trust in employees are all things that cause people to micromanage, which can decrease employee morale and accountability. Zenker adds that team members might also be less likely to speak up or share their ideas, and decisions that impact the business might be delayed.
“When you see people shutting down and not speaking up or bringing creativity,” she says, “that can also mean that they’re feeling like they’re unappreciated or overcontrolled.… Clearly, when people leave [a workplace], that can also be a telltale sign.”
Here are seven ways that leaders and project managers can learn to let go:
1. Shift your mindset
You should “delegate those outcomes, not just the tasks,” Zenker says. Focus on growing your team members’ skills sets and fueling their career growth instead of simply getting things done.
“There’s really a greater purpose, which is to make them build their skill sets so that they can play a bigger role in the organization,” she adds.
2. Trust your team
Some leaders have a hard time delegating tasks because they are “scared things won’t be done exactly how they would do them,” says Melissa Legere, licensed marriage and family therapist and chief operating officer and co-founder of California Behavioral Health. “If you micromanage every detail,” she continues, “your team won’t feel empowered to take ownership, and you’ll still be stuck in the weeds doing everything yourself.”
She adds that “delegation isn’t about cloning how you would approach tasks—it’s about getting the job done well. Set clear expectations, provide the necessary resources and then step back.”
3. Resist the urge to fix everything
According to Legere, once you assign a task, you should “let your team handle it without constantly jumping in to tweak [or] redo their work.” Tapping into team members’ skills and abilities not only allows you to focus on other tasks on your to-do list but also encourages them to develop problem-solving skills.
“Instead of micromanaging, provide feedback and guidance when necessary and give them space to learn and grow,” she adds.
4. Start small and build from there
“If letting go feels uncomfortable, begin by delegating low-stakes tasks and work your way up,” Legere continues. “This helps you get used to trusting your team while giving them the chance to prove they can handle more responsibility. The more you see things getting done without your constant involvement, the easier it becomes to step back.”
5. Set checkpoints
By creating a physical checklist, you can monitor the quality and progress of the task or project you’ve delegated.
Zenker notes that it’s important for managers to explain why what they’re asking of the employee or team member is important and what they want to accomplish. Then, give them space to ask questions—and depending on the project’s timeline, set times to check in. Managers shouldn’t check in too much, though, because that would be micromanaging.
“The next milestone might be for them to go and do some research and then come back with their own plan, so that you’re seeing how they think and how they work through things,” she says. “But you’re also setting up those checkpoints so that you don’t have to check in with them every day.”
6. Be kind
The language you use and the way you choose to approach the situation at hand is important, Zenker continues. Think about what energy you’re bringing to the table and try to be positive. Instead of barking orders, build in time to make a personal connection so people feel valued and understood.
“If you’re handing something over to them, maybe you’re telling them that you have full trust in their ability to complete this in the best way,” she says. “One of the things I do [is say,] ‘Hey, listen, I know that sometimes I have a tendency to get too involved or check in. Please call me on it.’”
7. Hit pause
If something isn’t working in your company, organization or life, you can always hit reset. Then, you can take time to step back and reflect on the challenges or your mistakes.
The process of rethinking, reconnecting and reprioritizing can help individuals tackle their challenges and figure out how to be more productive. It even inspired Zenker to write a book called The Reset Mindset, which was published in fall 2024. “It’s in the reflection that we gain insight,“ she says, “not in experience, because we can repeat the same mistakes.”
This article originally appeared in the May 2025 issue of SUCCESS+ digital magazine. Photo by voronaman/Shutterstock.com