Nearly everyone has been micromanaged at some point in their careers—and no one ever loves it. No one ever lists micromanagement as one of the top skills of great leaders. More than a bad habit for individual leaders, micromanagement can create several big problems within an organization, including some that might not readily be associated with it. To determine whether they’re doing too much micromanaging, leaders should ask themselves the following questions.

Many traditions that arose in the past to fulfill specific functions still have relevance today. But often, a tradition’s original purpose has been lost-or is no longer being served-and "we’ve always done it that way" becomes the reason why it persists. This holds especially true in organizational life, where most organizations continue to follow three common practices that may have outlived their usefulness. 

Although workplace policies are generally well-intentioned, they often elicit less-than-positive responses that range from silent eye-rolling to loud complaints about how policies don’t apply to a given situation. Given the derision and frustration often associated with them, should policies have expiration dates? In a word, yes. 

Business leaders have learned many lessons during this never-ending pandemic. They have learned that although colleagues miss each other, employees can work from anywhere. They have upgraded their technology skills to be able to connect with others more productively. They have recognized the importance of having teammates check in with each other to make sure everyone is mentally and physically healthy. They have even embraced learning about everyone’s crazy pets. But perhaps the greatest lesson they have learned is the great need for flexibility in their workplaces.

The topic of influence often comes up in leadership programs and coaching. Although leaders may be strong technicians and extremely capable of carrying out their job responsibilities, they can also feel that they are not as influential as they would like. The inability to persuade others to support their ideas and suggestions can be frustrating and can throw off any leader’s confidence level. By keeping six key strategies in mind, however, leaders can increase their influence.