Embrace your role as a facilitator
The first step, which according to Forbes many managers surprisingly struggle with, is accepting your role: in other words, acknowledging that your skills in certain areas do not reach the level of your subordinates. Don't try to act like the most knowledgeable person in every aspect; instead, embrace your role as the facilitator of your more specialised team members’ work.
Develop your managerial skills
The one area where only you can and must improve is in people management. Strengthen your managerial skills, convince your subordinates that you are the right person in the right place, and become an expert in people management.
Ask good questions
Your subordinates are a well of unique know-how and professional expertise. So when managing projects, delegating tasks and organising work, ask intelligent questions. This allows you effectively to combine your business and managerial insight with the technical expertise of team members.
Define an appropriate scope within which subordinates can operate
Technically skilled and knowledgeable employees need sufficient freedom to work effectively. However, they must also involve you in certain decisions and consult the broader context of their work. Your task is to find the balance between these two extremes and set clear boundaries for their autonomy. This ensures you avoid unnecessary micromanagement while still knowing what your subordinates are doing and preventing them making decisions beyond their responsibilities.
Develop subordinates’ expertise while also fostering humility
Continue deepening your subordinates’ expertise. Provide ample opportunities for education and development of their strengths. At the same time, cultivate a sense of humility within the team. Remind them that the strength and effectiveness of the team depend primarily on quality cooperation among all its members.
-mm-