As a leader the big picture is important. You cannot get distracted by the minutiae of day-to-day operations. That’s where your leadership and guidance come into play, reminding your employees of the goal, and keeping them focused on it. And while you have to become adept at letting go, you cannot forget that details matter.
There is a difference between minutiae and details. Knowing the difference means everything when you are trying to lead. If you try to control the inconsequential, you will be falling into the trap of micromanagement. Not only does this create barriers between you and your staff, but you also end up training them to do no creative thinking or problem solving on their own. It means that you get pulled into every decision in the day, no matter how small. Focus on those decisions that will have the most impact. Anything else you have to trust your employees to take care of in the best way possible.
Details, then, are those decisions that will have a lasting impact on the day-to-day operations. They get to the heart of who you are as an organization and how you do business. Those are the decisions that you should be concerned about. Sometimes you will have to make those decisions on your own, but whenever possible include a team. At least your management team and, if possible, some representatives that can speak to the kinds of impacts that would be likely to be felt. Make sure your employees have their time and efforts respected and their voices heard.
When you take the time to respect the details, you are taking the time to tell everyone that you work with that they matter. When the details matter, the employees matter as well.
