Please Don’t Follow Me into the Bathroom
Micromanagement isn’t leadership...it’s interference.
<cue Reading Rainbow book-review voice> Have you ever had a manager follow you into the bathroom with a notepad to continue discussing work tasks?
I have - and it fundamentally shaped how I approach leadership today! But don’t take my word for it! <end Reading Rainbow book-review voice>
Early in my career, I worked under a manager who monitored every email I sent, rewrote my presentations minutes before meetings, and yes, literally followed me to the restroom, continuing to dictate tasks while I was in a stall.
That experience was both demoralizing and enlightening. I realized that micromanagement doesn’t just wear people down, it simply does not scale.
Think about it: if you're spending hours scrutinizing your team's email language or redoing their work, you're not focusing on strategic priorities that move the business forward.
You've effectively created two jobs for yourself: yours and a shadow version of theirs.
But if you trust the hiring process you put in place, you should trust the people you hire - because that process gave you trustworthy people who don’t need to be micromanaged anyway.
When I onboard new team members, my first conversation always begins with: "We hired you because you're brilliant at what you do. I trust you to run with your responsibilities, and I'm here as a resource, not a micromanager."
And I stay true to my word - I don’t bother them, and they excel.
Great teams thrive on autonomy and accountability. Give your people room to innovate, fail safely, and grow. That's how businesses scale and how leaders create impact beyond themselves.
Remember: You hired smart people. Let them be smart.