Micro-managing or leading: the clinician's challenge

There are many reasons people micro-manage in leadership positions. Anyone who has moved into the ranks of leadership from a clinical position will experience the angst of having to adjust to a "hands off" style and to trust that working through others to get the job done will work. The first step is to recognize this tendency and to admit that it is perfectly natural for a clinician to have to make the transition from doing it alone to working through others. The next step is to take the time to surround yourself with people who are capable of becoming better at certain specialized areas than you are and then allowing them to work. And finally, it is important to always assess your ability to work through others effectively. One of the most demoralizing behaviors a leader can display is that of communicating distrust and lack of confidence by continually interfering with a person's ability to work effectively.