The Scale of Managing: From Micro to Absence

I recently had a conversation with a senior leader in commercial real estate who raised a powerful question: How do you coach managers to find the right balance between micromanaging and being too hands-off?

This really made me think. It’s easy as a manager to lean too far in one direction — hover so tightly that initiative collapses and discretionary effort evaporates, or back away so much that the team drifts in uncertainty. Most don’t realize it’s happening until it becomes a blind spot. That tension — control versus absence — often defines whether a team thrives, or suffers from a drag on performance.

When I look at leadership — and by that, I include how managers lead in day-to-day reality — I view it energetically:

• Micromanagement signals contraction — the leader’s energy moves inward. It often stems from fear: fear of failure, fear of being judged, fear of letting go. It can smother capability and stop learning in its tracks.
• Hands-off leadership signals diffusion — energy that’s too far outward. It often comes from fatigue, overextension, or misplaced trust that the team will self-correct. It leaves people feeling unseen and unsupported.

Both patterns drain performance — and the cost isn’t abstract. When managers operate too tightly or too loosely, productivity slips, engagement drops, and over time, the business quietly absorbs the expense. But finding that sweet spot of balance moves people managers into the space where excellence thrives — fueled by a happier and more productive team.

This balance can be challenging even for the most senior leaders. From the frontline to the executive level, evidence of imbalance shows up in performance reviews or 360 feedback as gaps in delegation, clarity, or team confidence. The good news is that it’s a scale all of us can adjust. Here are my top three go-to’s for doing just that — and strengthening the rhythm of team performance:

1. Stay Close Enough to See the Work. You can’t calibrate what you can’t observe. Regular, focused touchpoints — not checklists — reveal where confidence or clarity is missing.
2. Adjust Based on Readiness. Some team members need freedom; others need scaffolding. Calibrate oversight based on each person’s capability and load, not your own comfort zone.
3. Lead Through Clarity and Conversation. Clear expectations and open communication reduce the need to hover and prevent the drift that comes from being hands-off. Clarity and dialogue are the anchors between control and absence.

My final bonus tip: No one wants to feel suffocated at work, and no one wants to feel ignored. Aim for the center — that’s where the best leadership lives.

- Sahara DerKourkian