10.3 Understand the differences between managing, micromanaging, and not managing.
Great managers orchestrate rather than do. Like the conductor of an orchestra, they do not play an instrument, but direct their people so that they play beautifully together. Micromanaging, in contrast, is telling the people who work for you exactly what tasks to do or doing their tasks for them. Not managing is having them do their jobs without your oversight and involvement. To be successful, you need to understand these differences and manage at the right level.
a. Managers must make sure that what they are responsible for works well.
They can do this by 1) managing others well (as explained above), 2) job slipping down to do work they’re not responsible for because others can’t do their jobs well, 3) escalating what they can’t manage well. The first choice is optimal; the second signals that a change is needed in the people and the design; the third choice is harder still but mandatory.
b. Managing the people who report to you should feel like skiing together.
Like a ski instructor, you need to have close contact with your people on the slopes so that you can assess their strengths and weaknesses as they are doing their jobs. There should be a good back-and-forth as they learn by trial and error. With time you will be able to decide what they can and can’t handle on their own.
c. An excellent skier is probably going to be a better ski coach than a novice skier.
Believability applies to management too. The better your track record, the more value you can add as a coach.
d. You should be able to delegate the details.
If you keep getting bogged down in details, you either have a problem with managing or training, or you have the wrong people doing the job. The real sign of a master manager is that he doesn’t have to do practically anything. Managers should view the need to get involved in the nitty-gritty as a bad sign.
At the same time, there’s danger in thinking you’re delegating details when you’re actually being too distant from what’s important and essentially are not managing. Great managers know the difference. They strive to hire, train, and oversee in a way in which others can superbly handle as much as possible on their won.
* Source: Principles by Ray Dalio