Shonda Rhimes wasn’t immune to common career mistakes early in her career.
Rhimes, the founder of production company Shondaland and creator of TV shows such as “Grey’s Anatomy” and “Scandal,” spoke about being a former micromanager and the “pain” at Indeed’s FutureWorks HR conference in Phoenix on Sept. 3.
“I was someone whose grades were a nuisance to other people, but it wasn’t great,” she said. “You can be great, but if you can’t work with everyone, if you can’t assimilate at least a little bit into the culture, you’ll never be successful. And I could never lead from the top like that.”
Now, Rhimes says she recognizes the importance of trusting her team to work and giving them the freedom to be creative. At first, she says, she “started out as a micromanager,” but one realization helped her get back on track.
“The biggest thing I learned is to hire people and let them do the work,” she said. “That freedom of action allows people to be more creative, more excited, and have more ownership over what they’re doing.”
Here’s what career experts say you should do if you find yourself making these mistakes, too.
micromanagement
Micromanagement can cause resentment on both sides. Nearly three in four workers believe micromanagement is the biggest workplace red flag, according to a 2023 monster survey of more than 6,000 workers.
“People feel like they don’t trust you enough to do your job, and you end up feeling like you have to do more,” says Adunola Adeshola, workplace and career strategist and founder of career coaching firm employeeREDEFINED.
Amanda Augustine, a certified professional career coach at Careerminds, says micromanaging can stifle reporting creativity, problem solving, and growth. You may also be more susceptible to burnout.
“It’s hard when you know you can do it faster,” Augustine says. “But if you can do it faster, it’s always going to be you doing it yourself, and you have to remind yourself of that.”
Breaking the habit of micromanagement starts with hiring people you trust to learn and grow to do their jobs well, adds Adesola.
Adeshola added that some micromanagement stems from poor training and assumptions. Being clear about what to expect may take a little longer at first, but it will save you time correcting mistakes later. For example, Adeshola sends his team a tutorial ahead of time with guidelines for completing the project.
And perfectionists beware. This characteristic often applies to micromanagement.
“You can’t expect the next person to do things exactly the way you do,” says Adesola. Consider revising your expectations to accommodate the ideal 80% or 90%, she adds.
“If you start tweaking that last 2%, you’re going to end up driving yourself and them crazy,” Adesola says.
Building relationships at work
Rhimes also learned that no matter how good your job is, it’s essential to build strong relationships with your co-workers.
In her 2015 book, Year of Yes, Rhimes wrote about her experience serving as a Black female showrunner in what she called a “first, only, and different” environment. Employees who feel they clearly don’t fit in with the rest of the team can feel pressured to work harder, which can have a negative impact on building cultural fit.
But “you don’t have to work to death to prove that you deserve a place,” Adesola says.
Building relationships at work means you have people around you who can advocate for you and recommend hidden opportunities. “Everyone should network internally and externally to build their career,” says Augustine.
You can also schedule an introductory chat or regular coffee time with your colleagues to catch up on their work and what they’re up to outside of work hours. Or say yes to happy hour at the end.
“Simply listening to others can help you build relationships at work,” says Adeshola. “You have to be curious and interested and open.”
