Feb 9 – Focus on What Rather than How
Focus on What You Want Rather than How It Has to Happen
Cheetah Certified Project Manager (CCPM) Tip of the Day
February 9 – To get out of the trap of micromanaging people, focus more on what you need them to deliver rather than on how you want them to do the work.
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Michelle LaBrosse, CCPM, PMP, PMI-ACP
The human spirit only soars when unleashed. We have seen this time and time again in our classrooms While people love to learn, they do not like being “taught.” Being taught also limits the learning to a narrow constraint of what the teacher thinks is important. Learning allows the student to take off to levels that are important for them, which only they would know. The way we structure Cheetah programs creates a level of inspired, intrinsic motivation that helps Cheetah students soar. This was why we call our company “Cheetah Learning” rather than “Cheetah Teaching.” This same thinking is what is behind today’s tip. People are infinitely creative and, when allowed to create the “how” of how to create the “what,” their spirit can be fully engaged in the task at hand. The results are more innovation, more productivity, and, ultimately, more happiness in how the work gets accomplished. We are all far more than simple automatons cranking out products or regurgitating answers to satisfy a teacher. Think about this for yourself. Where are you happier: when someone leaves you free to choose how to accomplish a task, or when they watch your every move to make sure you do it they way they would do it? No one wants this level of oversight. Figure out how to give enough instructions so you can all be confident the skills exist to get the job done. Then, back off and let the person craft what works best for them. They may just surprise you beyond measure.
In the Cheetah Certified Project Manager (CCPM) program, you learn how to best fit your strengths to situations that can help your spirit soar. You also learn how to best use other people’s strengths so you can create dream teams that work well without the need for micromanagement.
