Could You Be a Helicopter Boss? Here Are the Signs

If you’re like most people, you’ve probably seen helicopter parents before; those people who hover over their small children as if they’re made from glass.

Well, did you know there’s also such a thing as a helicopter boss?

These are the leaders that are constantly looking over the shoulders of their staff, second guessing decisions made by employees, and interfering with every aspect of their work.

This is a dangerous approach to management for a variety of reasons. By treating your workers like kids, you’re creating a recipe for disaster in the form of a frustrated, unhappy and eventually disengaged workforce. You’re also increasing the potential for turnover because most people would rather work for a boss who gives them some level of autonomy.

If you’re not sure whether or not you qualify as a helicopter boss, here are a few signs to be on the lookout for:

#1: You’re always swamped because you won’t let anyone else take on any of your tasks. You insist on doing all of it yourself because you think no one else can do it right.

#2: If you actually do delegate a project, you not only tell the person you delegated to what you want done, but exactly how to do it…then you check in with them 10 times a day. You simply don’t trust your people to do the job right.

#3: You need to know where each staff member is and what they’re doing at every moment of the workday. You require a daily flow of reports and even monitor your staff’s bathroom breaks and lunch time.

#4: Your employees try to avoid you in any way they can. They make up excuses as to why they can’t meet. They breathe a collective sigh of relief when you leave the office. In reality, they’re terrified and tired of your constant criticism.

#5: You think you’re brighter and more productive than everyone on your staff. You think you have higher standards for quality and you never take any of their ideas and input into account. In fact, you automatically dismiss them.

#6: When on the road or on vacation, you call to check in many times throughout the day and want detailed progress reports about what everyone is working on.

The bottom line? If you’re a helicopter boss, or have the potential to become one, you need to nip it in the bud fast. Otherwise, your team won’t have the opportunity to grow and thrive.

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