Eric

big picture

Managing Macro: Staying mindful of the big picture

Last week, I wrote here about “managing micro”. This is different than micromanaging, with its negative connotations, and is necessary for organizational success.

Someone has to manage macrobig picture

I don’t want to move on without taking an opportunity to insist that it is also required for someone to be “managing macro”.

  • Someone has to be looking at the organization from the thirty thousand foot view.
  • Someone should be looking ahead to where future energies will need to go.
  • Someone should be anticipating where potential obstacles may arise.
  • Someone must be looking at the pieces of the organization in the context of the whole.

Who’s looking at the big picture?

There is a classic leader-manager joke:

“What’s the difference between a leader and a manager? A manager makes sure you’re climbing the ladder but a leader makes sure the ladder is on the right wall.”

This joke and others like it undervalue the role of managers. They do provide a good contrast though, for what I am referring to here as the managing macro role.

Usually, the point person or driver for an initiative will be the person managing the higher level pieces. If that’s you, don’t get stuck in the details on your to-do list. Don’t forget to check yourself regularly against your larger purpose and goals.

Someone has to do both

Managing the details and maintaining the big picture are both necessary. Don’t neglect them and don’t let yourself get frozen in one or the other. You may fail to achieve your overall objectives.

I’m a lucky man

Ten years ago today, I was blessed to be joined to the perfect partner for life. It hasn’t always been the journey we expected but I am more convinced everyday that God brought us together because I am a better father, pastor, and man because of her influence in my life.

Sweetheart, I told someone earlier this week that you embarrass easily so you’ll probably be embarrassed by this public display of affection, but I thought it fitting that I take a minute to share with the world what a blessing you are to me.

Adena, I can honestly say that I wouldn’t be the leader or pastor that I am today without your encouraging words, confident faith, and supernatural grace walking beside me.  Your prayers, love, and commitment to me, to our family, and to our ministry makes it all possible. Thank you for ten years of adventure and for many more to come! I love you!

 

Micromanaging has a bad rap…

A great deal is written on why micromanaging is bad for organizations and teams. I do not disagree.

One thing that is important though, and this is often disregarded in environments where people complain about micromanaging: someone HAS to manage micro!

A different take on micromanaging…

Every team and endeavor that I have ever been involved with has required detailed execution to be successful. Someone on the team has to manage things at the detail level. Whether it is the point person on the project or a designee, it needs to be covered. The saying may go, “the devil is in the details”, but I would contend that excellence is in the details. Organizations that manage well to the detail level present as world-class. Who’s managing the details in your organization?

If you are a team member and responsible for the details, but feel your leader is micromanaging, you may want to look at your own execution. Are you getting things done and moving the ball forward on behalf of your team consistently? Here’s a link to some personal productivity tips that may help you build your capacity in this area.

For team leaders

If you are the team leader, and don’t see details being handled well, check your leadership. Have you delegated the detail role specifically? Is your team overburdened by the amount of details needing coverage? You may need to consider re-focusing your team on the big picture and help achieve a greater victory by tightening things up. Sometimes details get dropped because the team is going in too many directions and sometimes it’s simply a matter of individual team members not understanding their role or expectations.  Training and coaching your team on what you are looking for is a better way to build toward organizational success than letting the details slide and settling for less than excellence.

An illustration

If you pickup that your team may feel you are micromanaging, you may need to look at your strategy. My favorite metaphor for micromanagement is when my children are learning to tie their shoes. As they start to learn, the laces will invariably be weak. I have a choice. Do I bend down, tie them myself, and communicate to my child that they aren’t ready for this detail? Or do I bend down, encourage them, and help them understand how to tie them tighter? Depending on my choice, I may be stuck tying their shoes forever!