Insight #373:
Here’s a lesson for leaders, managers, and bosses with an urge to micromanage. It’s basic economics, so please concentrate.
Let’s focus on bosses, because there’s a bit of boss in every leader and manager. Come on! You know it’s true. (A bit of boss can be a good thing. So don’t knock it.)
You are a boss because you have people reporting to you. As you have discovered, people have differing skills and unique abilities. Hence their skills and abilities differ from yours.
Surely, your boss promoted you from once doing well what your team members are doing now. No doubt, this means that very often you can do something faster and better than they can. (At least you think you still can.)
Yet, it is quite possible that one of your team members has a comparative advantage over you. Meaning that this person can do something at a lower cost than you can. Hey, that’s quite obvious, you might think, taking your bigger salary and cushy benefits into account.
But there’s more to it.
Don’t confuse comparative advantage and being the best at something. If you are the best at something, that is known as absolute advantage. Here’s the catch. You might have an absolute advantage at a delegated task, but your time is comparatively better spent elsewhere.
Let’s read that again, but using different words. You might be the best at doing the task, but you have better or more important things to do. Things that go with your level in the hierarchy, things that you cannot or should not delegate.
So be an effective manager. Let those who can do a task at a lower cost get on with it, even if they are slower than you at completing the task, even if they make a few mistakes, mistakes that you no longer make. And then? And then let them be as you get on with your comparatively more important tasks.
Remember this. Every time you manage according to your absolute advantage, you destroy your comparative advantage.
(Your boss will absolutely notice and be comparatively annoyed.)
Welcome to my side of the nonsense divide.
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Quote of the Moment:
“When the going gets tough, the unsure ones micromanage.” The Chief Nonsense Officer.
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