Page 175 - Becoming a Successful Manager

166 BUILDING ON YOUR FOUNDATION

assignment that may be confusing or need adjustment, and provide
whatever other aid the employee may need from you. Your attitude when
setting up these checkpoints should be that, as a manager, you have a
vested interest in the success of the project, and the employee should
view you as a consultant who is there to help him or her succeed.
One word of caution: Do not fall into the trap of micromanaging
projects. Don’t be like the parent who says to a child, “I trust you to
cross the street by yourself, but just to be sure you’re doing it right, let
me hold your hand.” Your employees do not need handholding once
you’ve put them in charge of a project. What they need is your trust
and the knowledge that you are available to assist when necessary.

Coach Employees to Excel

A student we know who was a top player on his school’s basketball
team suddenly stopped taking long shots or even short jump shots. He
began limiting himself to the low-risk layup shots. After several such
games, a confused observer asked him why he was taking only sure
shots. He said, “Wouldn’t you do the same if every time you missed a
shot, the coach yelled at you? I just became afraid of taking chances.
The price of taking a shot and risking missing it was just too great.”
By not making it safe for this excellent athlete to take risks, the
coach inadvertently discouraged him from playing his best game.
You can avoid making the mistake this coach did by adopting
these guidelines:

• Encourage your staff members to take reasonable risks; and
encourage them to prepare for them appropriately. Help
them learn to reduce their risk of “failure.”
• Invite your employees to communicate openly. These com-
munications include: