Your team doesn't need a babysitter. They need a leader.
If you don't trust your team to manage their own time, you either hired the wrong people or you're the wrong leader.
Most likely both.
You can't tell if someone is doing good work, so you measure what you can see: butts in seats, hours logged, bathroom breaks.
The result?
Your A-players quit first because they have options and working for you is exhausting. Your B-players become C-players because you've trained them to wait for instructions. Your C-players love it because now they can blame you when nothing gets done.
Here's what trust-based leadership looks like:
"I need this project finished by Friday. How you do it is up to you." "Your quarterly goals are clear. Show me what you accomplished." "You have a doctor's appointment? Handle your work and go."
Clear expectations. Total autonomy. Real accountability.
No timesheets. No status meetings about status meetings. No asking permission to live your life.
Dan Martell
Your team doesn't need a babysitter. They need a leader.
If you don't trust your team to manage their own time, you either hired the wrong people or you're the wrong leader.
Most likely both.
You can't tell if someone is doing good work, so you measure what you can see: butts in seats, hours logged, bathroom breaks.
The result?
Your A-players quit first because they have options and working for you is exhausting.
Your B-players become C-players because you've trained them to wait for instructions.
Your C-players love it because now they can blame you when nothing gets done.
Here's what trust-based leadership looks like:
"I need this project finished by Friday. How you do it is up to you."
"Your quarterly goals are clear. Show me what you accomplished."
"You have a doctor's appointment? Handle your work and go."
Clear expectations. Total autonomy. Real accountability.
No timesheets. No status meetings about status meetings. No asking permission to live your life.
Just adults doing the work they were hired to do.
You hired them for a reason.. so let them reason.
-DM
2 weeks ago | [YT] | 7,592