Sometimes it isn’t enough just to check on something.
Sometimes we need to double and triple check on things to make sure that they’re done fully and that we’ve done all we need to do to make them happen.
This doesn’t necessarily mean we are over-reaching, or that we are micromanaging. Sometimes it can simply be that we know from experience that checking in with others, and checking up on things, can be the difference between great work happening, or great work slipping through the cracks.
In fact, sometimes we need to check on things multiple times as they are either so involved, or so important in the grand scheme of things that any mistakes would result in major issues for everyone involved.
In these situations where we need to “triple check,” it always pays to give people the space they need to do their work, while carefully nudging, either via “I wonder” statements, or “self-failing,” (where we assume we made a mistake as a means to see what is happening). This needn’t be nefarious, nor should it be seen as a lack of trust. In fact, in the organizations where cultures are most effectively developed, this type of checking-in is welcome, as the work is so complex that an extra pair of eyes is always warranted.
Part of trust is people’s trust in us to help them do their best work. And part of that means checking-in regularly with others to make sure we are all on the same page. A “triple check” isn’t ever a problem. The problem arises when we assume that our trust in others means that a reach-out is never allowed. And that’s when we wish we would have been more careful!