How to Avoid Micromanaging As 38 Special advised, 'hold on loosely.'

How do I run a tight ship without micromanaging my staff?

"If you're a business owner doing a lot of hovering," says Cynthia Kay, who founded her Grand Rapids-based media production and consulting firm 29 years ago, "either you've got the wrong people or you need an attitude adjustment." But before heads roll, follow her guide to becoming a sage mentor rather than an unholy nag.

1. Establish procedures -- for hiring, production, distribution, customer service, all of it. Then write them down and share them with employees. Kay conducts "scenario training" to teach her staff how to respond to every conceivable occurrence. "I'm consistently saying, "What do we do here? What's the policy here?'"
she says.