NEW! Get more 5-star reviews with Stargazer® ⭐️
Learn More
When we talk about hands-off leadership, what we are talking about is someone who doesn’t need to be involved every day in everything that happens at work.
As a leader, you don't have to do things face-to-face everyday, but you should keep an eye on your leaders, make sure they're doing their job well, give them enough freedom to get the job done, and support them when they deserve it.
This article will discuss some ways that non-interpersonal leadership can still maintain excellent relationships with those under you. Let's look at some examples!
Examples of hands-off leadership
Let me tell you a little story. A few years back, one of my colleagues was promoted to lead his department. He reported directly under me, so I became his direct supervisor.
He is very smart, hard working, and he values integrity. However, there is one thing I never quite understood - why did this person always seem more concerned about getting his own job than helping others achieve theirs?
It took me several months to realize what was going on here, but once I did it made sense. This isn't the first time I've seen this type of behavior and I think most people would agree that it's not a good tactic for success.
So how can you apply these lessons to yourself as a leader? Here are a few tips.
A few more signs that your boss is no longer able to manage you effectively are when he or she starts asking too many questions about what you do, why you do it, and if there’s ever a chance for you to make a mistake.
He or she may also begin to micro-manage you by getting into conversations that you have with other people and trying to insert his or her opinion into them.
If this happens, try to remember back to the first tip we mentioned: be aware of how you feel around your manager. If you sense that he or she doesn’t trust you, look into whether or not that’s true!
You might also notice that your manager becomes increasingly agitated or distracted as you work. This could be due to anything from workload issues to personal conflicts.
Avoiding engagement can have disastrous results when you invest in a business or product that is not being actively marketed, promoted, or supported by its owner. This is why it is so important for shareholders to be engaged with their company!
As discussed earlier, shareholder engagement benefits your company and yourself personally. Not only do they keep an eye on how well top executives are performing their jobs, but also promote trust between investors and the leadership at the firm.
It also helps ensure that future investments in the company will be more profitable as owners watch the companies spending. The more involved owners are, the tighter control they exert over the company’s money.
On the other hand, if the CEO does not seem accountable and willing to address investor concerns, then what kind of leader is she? You deserve better than that!
By ignoring calls for change, silence sends a message to employees and investors that things are fine here and now, and that the people in charge don’t care about them. If nothing changes, this can create a poisonous environment where nobody feels safe trying to make the company work.
This hurts the organization and individual career prospects of everyone working there. In fact, research has shown that employee attrition is up to twice as high in non-engaged organizations.
In addition to costing the employer money, lost staff means less productivity which again costs the business money.
A hands-on manager will always be thinking about his or her job prospects, making sure their superiors are happy with what they’re doing, and keeping up with all of the tasks that need to get done.
They spend a lot of time getting things done so people can focus on bigger goals and projects. This is not a good thing for those under them!
As leaders grow, their responsibilities increase too. Because of this, there is an emphasis on having someone else take over certain duties so that you have enough time to focus on higher level issues.
This isn’t necessarily a bad thing but it does mean that your reports and colleagues may not see you as the leading figure that you could be.
Some people prefer working under more experienced individuals than others and this doesn’t usually make much sense.
If you’re looking to climb the ladder at your workplace, then spending some time away from the job might be worth considering.
As a leader, you don’t have to do everything yourself – it takes a lot of work! But if you choose to be hands off, you must first identify what skills you possess and what qualities you see in people.
You can't lead someone else if you don't know who they are as individuals. You also can't expect them to do their job when they feel that you're not doing yours.
As a leader, there will always be something you'll need done - whether it's fixing an appliance, organizing a party, or getting the job completed. When this happens, who does you turn to?
Your direct reports may already know how to handle such situations, but even if they don’t, they’ll learn quickly how to manage them. The thing is, they’ll spend most of their time under you feeling like they’re being asked to take over for you.
This isn’t good for morale, nor for ensuring top performance. So before you assume someone’s role, make sure you've trained theirs first by identifying their strengths.
A strong leader is not a person who has lots of tricks up his sleeve, nor is he someone who is always talking about how hard he works. He is aware of his limitations and doesn't make false promises to people.
He does his best with what he has and inspires others to do the same. By being hands off, he creates an environment where everyone feels free to try new things without fear of punishment.
This encourages creativity and self-development. When you have no boss looking over your shoulder, you are much more likely to take risks and invest time into projects that might not necessarily pay off right away but could set you on track for big achievements later.
Some experts say that having a leader around every minute of the day can be detrimental to productivity. This isn’t true when there are times when you need to step back and let your employees get the job done!
By having leadership that is only focused on getting results, you will help your underlings find success and develop their skills. You don’t have to work together every hour of the day, but you should stay in touch so they know they can turn to you for help and advice.
As discussed earlier, being an effective leader is ensuring that your team has every opportunity to succeed. But what if their success seems pre determined?
What if they get the job done without you there to inspire them or push them forward? What if they don’t ask for help because they don’t think you care?
As a leader, this can be frustrating, to say the least. You want to motivate others, but it feels like a lost cause when they seem to have everything under control.
At times, these individuals will need your assistance, which is why it is important to provide support when needed.
Leaders who are able to do this understand that teamwork takes work and that relationships take time to develop. It may feel uncomfortable at first, but staying connected longer term will pay off in the end.
This includes offering praise and encouragement as well as asking questions and exploring possibilities.
‘Micromanaging’ is defined as actively supervising and controlling every little detail of an employee or team. It can sometimes seem like a tempting way to keep tabs on someone, but it does not work!
If you are always looking over their shoulder, waiting for them to make a mistake that you can catch, then they will not feel comfortable doing their job. They will also likely avoid taking responsibility for things because they do not want to be blamed if something goes wrong.
This could have disastrous effects on your business. You may lose trust in their ability to perform their jobs effectively and professionally.
Furthermore, excessive supervision can create a hostile working environment. If there is no room for mistakes, people will stop making them.
Avoid being a control freak by letting go and giving up some of this supervisory power. Let others get the credit when employees achieve milestones, and give them adequate resources and feedback.
In this era of technology, business owners are constantly investing their energy into working on projects or products that keep them busy.
But what most people don’t realize is that they can burn out over time if they spend too much time in front of the computer or phone doing work for the company.
Research shows that employees need to take breaks every few hours to restore mental health and performance. It also helps refresh creativity and motivation.
For example, one study found that professionals were more productive during lunch than when they skipped it, which may explain why so many top companies have internal cafeterias or free breakfast and lunch programs.
By giving your staff some down time, you’ll not only help them maintain their personal lives, but also aid in their productivity at work.
It also gives them an opportunity to chat with colleagues or do something else outside of work. Some experts even recommend taking a short break after each day to reset and reevaluate.
