12 Ways to Avoid Hovering Over Employees Tweet

Regardless of the industry, entrepreneurs vary when it comes to leadership styles. Some employers prefer the traditional top-down approach, while others treat their employees like equals who can IM them throughout the day and grab drinks with them once that day is over. But altogether, teams are formulated at startups to create things, to get things done — without micromanaging.

The approach of “MBWA” or “management by walking around” might sound like an outdated technique, but for some business owners, it still works—if not in a new way. To do so without micromanaging your employees—or even being in the same office space—impacts both a startup’s deadlines and the company culture as well.

We asked members of the Young Entrepreneur Council (YEC), an invitation-only nonprofit organization comprised of the country’s most promising young entrepreneurs, the following question to find out their advice for staying on top of their startup’s projects:

“”MBWA” or management by walking around: do you use it and if so, what’s your best tip to know what’s going on without micromanaging?”

Here’s what YEC community members had to say:

1. They’re the Boss Now

“If you’ve hired well, every key employee is more talented than you in their domain. So your value in an MBWA session is to listen, and help untangle challenges. At LabDoor, I’ll usually pull up a chair and sit quietly until I’m up to speed, offer a few pieces of helpful advice, and then let my teammate get back to work.”
~ Neil Thanedar, LabDoor

2. Gen Y Likes Frequent Check-Ins

“Micromanaging gets a bad rap because keeping close tabs on your employees requires a lot of time and effort on the part of the CEO or manager. Gen Y likes to have a lot of feedback, as long as you are allowing employees enough freedom to make mistakes and grow. I think frequently checking in can be a really great thing.”
~ Caitlin McCabe, Real Bullets Branding

3. Virtual Teams Tracking Time

“With my virtual team, the primary way I review my team’s time is by asking them to log in to track their time reporting. We use oDesk, and when logged in, the program screen captures every few minutes so I can see what my team has done when they log time. This helps ensure that a VA isn’t on Facebook when time is logged for article marketing and provides extra accountability.”
~ Kelly Azevedo, She’s Got Systems

4. Integrate Inquiries into Conversations

“I have used MBWA, and I’ve found that it really helps to strengthen one-on-one relationships with the people with whom I work. Once we start talking, it eventually becomes natural to bring up what they’re working on and get a status, and this way, I can motivate them with my excitement in person.”
~ Alexandra Levit, Inspiration at Work

5. Let Them Be Independent

“I don’t use this management technique; I encourage my staff to do the best they can and be independent. My staff is held accountable for their projects by setting deadlines, but micromanaging is not useful for any of us. Weekly meetings to discuss project statuses overcome the need for micromanagement.”
~ DC Fawcett, Paramount Digital Publishing

6. Keep Your Eyes Peeled

“I have used this technique frequently, as it is the only true way to effectively understand how your staff spends its time. Often, I act like I’m merely wandering the floor rather than checking on my staff. I constantly take mental notes, which I later put in writing. When I discuss my findings with staff members, it often leads to great results.”
~ Andrew Schrage, Money Crashers Personal Finance

7. Truly Help Your Team

“Each member of our team is accountable for a dozen or more projects, some small and some large. We’re a very collaborative team, but even so, it’s impossible to know what the biggest pain point is at any time. My favorite question is “What can I do to help you?” The answer might be nothing, a small task, or a large one. Regardless, their answer gets me to the root need of everyone.”
~ Aaron Schwartz, Modify Watches

8. Don’t Be Old School

“Get your team on project management software and begin tracking performance based on productivity and output. You should not be worried about what your team is doing by creeping behind them in the office. Empower your employees by giving them tasks to complete which you can track online and not by becoming that boss that’s breathing down their necks.”
~ Raul Pla, SimpleWifi and UseABoat

9. Check In Weekly

“We use weekly meetings; I don’t use MBWA. I meet with all my direct reports weekly (and they meet with theirs). We cover accomplishments over the past week and priorities for the next

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Tags: Business, Entrepreneur, Management by wandering around, Micromanagement, Employment, Startup company, Virtual team, YEC