Last weekend we took our kids to Westfield Penrith to see the Lego Master Builders, who were building giant figures of Darth Vader and Yoda. The really great thing about this event was that kids (and adults!) were able to build the small ‘bricks’ that would become part of the giant structure.

If we were at home and I asked my kids to build plain old boring bricks, I doubt they would have been enthused! But because they could see that the small black bricks they were making would soon become part of Darth Vader, they were highly motivated.

I couldn’t help but see this as a fantastic analogy for managing staff. Each staff member under your employ is essentially a ‘brick builder’. They are contributing to the bigger picture of your business. But if they have no concept of what they are working towards, they are unlikely to complete their work with enthusiasm and productivity is likely to be much lower.

To paraphrase a popular saying, “If you are a leader and no one is following you, you are just a woman on a walk”. Meaning, in order to lead people in your team, you need to show them the big picture and their part in achieving it.

In addition, for you as an employer, it is a good lesson in how essential your staff are to your business. The ‘Master Builders’ could not have built their giant structures without the smaller bricks being supplied – and so it is with your staff: without them, your business will not succeed. So bring them along on the journey. And remember: “Everything is awesome. Everything is cool when you’re part of a team....” !

Michelle Grice writes a weekly column for business women in The Western Weekender

You’ve hired some great staff to work in your business. They’ve settled in nicely, although you are wondering when your workload is going to decrease – in fact you feel like you are doing MORE work not less. What is going on?

Chances are, you are micromanaging your staff. Here are some typical scenarios:

1. You make assumptions about ability and skill level. It took you six months to get a handle on a particular skill, so you assume it will take someone else the same amount of time. Do not let pride get in the way of potential for improvement! You hired your staff for their skills, aptitude and experience. Let them use it.
2. You are not open to things being done differently. Your method has always served you well, so you expect your staff to perform a task in the same manner. Do not let fear of change get in the way of new and innovative ways to work!
3. You are uneasy about trusting your staff to work efficiently when they are unsupervised. How are you going to know they are doing the work they should? At some point you will need to take a ‘risk’ and let your staff stand on their own. They may make mistakes, but use those incidences as learning experiences. The vast majority of people respond well to trust and are likely to perform better when they are given responsibility.

In general, the more ‘hands off’ you can be, the better the result. This does not mean you leave a staff member to work with no boundaries or relevant, essential procedures. But allowing your staff to make a job their ‘own’ will result in an increased level of ‘ownership’ of their position and/or particular tasks, and increased loyalty to your business.

Michelle Grice writes a weekly column for business women in The Western Weekender