A minister observed that young mothers make one of two common mistakes in raising their children. One is overestimating their child’s innocence, causing them to dismiss any faults and find it hard to believe their sweet cherub could do anything wrong. The other is when they underestimate the child’s potential to excel and the mother’s overprotectiveness limits the child’s ability to grow.
I believe similar circumstances apply to new managers. Some bosses are blinded to the faults of their employees and may overlook transgressions because of the employee’s performance output or charisma. Other supervisors micromanage their staff members and demand oversight of all actions, thus stifling their employees’ autonomy and motivation. Neither is healthy for anybody.
Finding the right balance is a challenge when you’re a new supervisor (and I imagine that when you’re a new parent). I shudder to think of how hard I was on my earliest staff before I became more comfortable with myself and my style. The early days are when an experienced person is helpful to lend perspective and advice.
Even if you’re not new in your role, take a moment to reflect on where you land on the spectrum of overestimating and overprotecting. The sooner you can make adjustments, the better.
Source: Wise Mother’s Great Expectations: Cultivating Godly Potential in Children by Bob Russell, May 12, 2024
Thanks, Brian!
