Brokers:
You’re still responsible for your agents.

Delegating and letting agents learn on their own does not mean that brokers should not supervise their agents. That supervision is required by law.

If you sponsor agents, lead a team, or have an employee or assistant, you’re a manager. Unless you want unhappy and unproductive people working for you, it’s incumbent on you to avoid micromanaging them.

What is Micromanaging?

Someone who is micromanaging supervises people with excessive control and unnecessary attention to small details. Rather than giving high-level instructions and allowing an agent or assistant to complete the task as he or she sees fit, a micromanager will monitor and assess every step of the task.

Examples of micromanagement include:

  • Avoids delegation
  • Obsessed with control
  • Overly concerned with minor details
  • Discourages independent decision-making.

Why You Should Avoid Micromanaging

How do you feel when someone is looking over your shoulder, commenting on everything you do? That’s what being micromanaged feels like. It takes decision-making away from your agents or employees and dismisses their judgment and expertise. Eventually, they will be afraid to make a decision or act without prior approval—you lose any added value that person would bring to your brokerage or team.

How to Avoid Micromanaging

Here are ways to curb your micromanager instincts.

  • Invest in hiring and training. You’re more likely to micromanage someone who’s not qualified for a role. However, if you take the time to find the right people and properly train them for their roles, you’ll feel more confident with their skills.
  • Set clear expectations. If your agents or employees don’t know what you want from them, they’re unlikely to meet your expectations—and you’ll feel the need to intervene.
  • Delegate. Assign tasks that play to agents’ or employees’ strengths. These should not be step-by-step assignments, but rather an overview of the goal and available resources to help them reach it. This step will empower them and help them grow in their roles.
  • Accept new ideas. There is more than one way to complete a task. Let your agents and employees experiment with their ideas—they may end up improving a process or saving you money.
  • Don’t expect perfection. With different ideas and creativity comes missteps. Your brokerage won’t thrive unless it evolves, so tolerate a few mistakes as your business grows.