Hey everyone,

Whether you’re a seasoned executive or a first time manager, you’ve probably fallen into this #1 trap of leadership at some point…

Because when pressure is high, resources are limited, and time is not on your side, it’s easy (and natural) to default back to:

Command & Control

“Do what I want, when I want it”

It’s clear.

It’s directive.

It’s bullet proof, right?

(Maybe not)

Read on for 3 reasons why command & control is usually not the most effective approach (and how to catch the red warning flags 🚩🚩🚩).

(Est. read time: ~2.5 min)

1. Decreases Engagement

When team members are micromanaged, they feel like their voice, ideas, and opinions are undervalued.

This reduces feelings of ownership in their work leading to less motivation, commitment, and investment.

Put it simply: They’ll show up to do their job and get paid - but they won’t be striving for excellence.

🚩 Red Flags:

• Minimal Participation: Team members are not actively participating in meetings or discussions.

• Lack of Initiative: Employees rarely volunteer for new projects or show interest in taking on additional responsibilities.

• Low Enthusiasm: There’s a palpable lack of enthusiasm and energy.

What to try:

• Include your team in the brainstorming and planning of projects.

• Get to know their interests and goals - and align their work to that.

• Set clear points of accountability, so you’re not checking in all the time.

2. Diminishes Trust

When you come with all the answers - no room for collaboration or conversation - your people stop working towards delivering the best results and start working towards just keeping you happy.

They blindly follow directions, cover up mistakes, and blame others for failures.

To put it simply: They’ll do what you want - even if they see glaring risks or more effective approaches.

🚩 Red Flags:

• Siloed Work: Your ‘team’ works in isolation to get their tasks done rather than collaboratively.

• Lack of Feedback: Team members rarely provide feedback or pushback to your ideas.

• Avoidable Mistakes: Foreseeable risks and challenges are common, leading to project delays and errors.

What to try:

• Share what you’re working on and proactively ask for feedback

• Set time for retrospectives to reflect after big projects

• Coach your people when they hit roadblocks - don’t jump to fix

2. Destroys Creativity

When leaders dictate every action, team members become hesitant to share new ideas or take risks.

You miss out on more effective and efficient approaches to problems by failing to harness the power of collective thought.

To put it simply: You might get good-enough performance out of your team, but you’ll never unlock their full potential.

🚩 Red Flags:

• No New Ideas: Your team isn’t bringing fresh ideas to the table, and you always find yourself speaking first when brainstorming.

• Fear of Failure: Team members are overly cautious and afraid to make mistakes, resulting in a lack of experimentation.

• Risk Sensitive: When starting a new project, your people immediately start to note all the challenges (without no ideas to overcome them).

What to try:

• Allow for broad brainstorming before jumping to solutions

• Plan team bonding events centered around creative activities

• Celebrate failures (and recognize your own)

As a leader, you’re not just responsible for results -

You’re responsible for the people who are responsible for results.

That means, you have to focus just as much (or more) on how to get them performing at their best as you do figuring out the ‘right’ approach.

If you’re still skeptical, I’ll throw you a bone:

There is 1 situation where command & control can be necessary and effective -

I’ll share what it is (and how to flex your leadership style to your team’s needs) in next week’s newsletter.

Until then,

Alex

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