Strike a balance between micromanaging and having too much of a laissez-faire attitude toward employees’ performance. Apply the “Rule of 3” to know when to take action.
After three instances of performance problems, step in to coach or discipline the employee. Of course, in the case of egregious problems you need to act right away. The Rule of 3 applies to the types of performance issues that many managers allow to fester.
On the other hand, when an employee has showed mastery of a task three times, you should delegate more responsibility or set new goals that will build on the skills demonstrated.
— Adapted from Bring Out the Best in Every Employee, Don Brown and Bill Hawkins, McGraw-Hill, http://mhprofessional.com.
