Doing Macro-Management The Right Way

Ever hated being closely monitored at work? Do you feel you need autonomy in how you do your work? Well, most of us feel the same. And this introduces us to the idea of macro-management. Check out the best ways to effectively macro-manage at work.

Doing Macro-Management The Right Way

Most of us don’t like to be supervised on each and every task we do. That’s quite natural. We all want some degree of autonomy and liberty in the way we work. This leads us to a new terminology – macro-management.

In this article, we delve into what macro-management is, effective ways to macro-manage, and more.

So, let’s get started.

What is Macro-management?

Macro-management refers to the practice wherein managers provide a broad outline of the strategic goals to their co-workers instead of giving directive feedback on each task. The concept underpinning macro-management is teaching how to do rather than telling what to do.

Once the leaders or managers provide a high-level overview of the objectives, the co-workers and teammates have great autonomy and control over their work, making them feel empowered. They choose the ways or methods to adopt to accomplish the objectives.

Effective Ways of Macro-management

Some of the best ways you could carry out macro-management include:

Define the context

All said, the final objective is to accomplish the larger organizational goals. That means the individual and team-level goals must align with the broader enterprise-level objectives. Make sure you, as a macro-manager, define the context clearly to the teammates. State clearly to your co-workers what needs to be achieved, what work is required to be completed, timelines to be met, and more.

Clearly state roles and responsibilities

Managers are the key drivers of projects or organizational initiatives. It is, therefore, imperative on your part to clarify the roles and responsibilities of all the teammates. In a usual scenario, you would be assigning tasks to them. But as a macro-manager, you give them the autonomy and control to decide. 

However, ensure that each teammate knows who is doing what and whom to approach for any concerns or issues. A RACI matrix would serve as an awesome tool.

Make your team uses time effectively

To achieve goals within the set timelines, it is essential that your teammates use their time judiciously. Teach them how to do this by using time blocks for focused work and disabling their notifications when they are completely engrossed in their tasks. By doing so, you can implement macro-management and ensure they remain productive.

Be Available

While macro-management grants autonomy in work to your co-workers, you as a manager must always be present to support, coach, and encourage. Besides, it helps when there is visibility on who is doing what, by when, and such. An example to achieve this is by deploying work management and collaboration tools so that all teammates work in tandem.

Address Stressful situations

As a macro-manager, your core responsibility is ensuring your teammates don’t suffer from extreme stress or burnout. Encourage them to take time to relax, revive and ensure they don’t overwork. One way to achieve this is by ensuring they don’t procrastinate and complete the most urgent and important tasks first. You can use a tool like the Eisenhower matrix to help.

Wrapping up

Macro management is a must-have in the dynamic work environments of today. Granting autonomy and control while encouraging team members would foster motivation and drive better outcomes. The ways to effectively macro-manage are outlined in the article.

About the Author

Simon Chou is the Vice President of Operations and Growth at BCjobs.ca. Over the course of his career, he carved a niche in brand development, marketing strategy, and online presence for startups. Prior to joining BCJobs.ca, Simon was an advisor for several global blockchain projects including Litecoin, NEM, and Ripple. In the past, he also worked with Fortune 500 companies in the healthcare space through SM Digital—a global marketing agency.