How do I not become a micromanager

[Horriblewoman]

I've recently started a new role, with one person reporting into me.

She's made it very clear she wants to progress but previous performance reviews show that she lacks attention to detail.

No problem I thought naively, that's easy to overcome. Except, she makes minor errors daily and it's clear she doesn't check her work and sends me things with mistakes she should absolutely have picked up on.

I'm keen we have a good working relationship and I really do want to help her progress but how do I help her do this without 1) become a micromanager which I have an allergic reaction to 2) pointing out errors every single time.

This is easy if you are in the office - on the next piece of work you give her, ask her to show you her process of reviewing it. Explain that you are documenting processes used in the office to help standardise processes.

I've had various project managers ask for people in teams to do this to help standardise processes. Normally it is done with good work but can be done when things don't turn out as they should. The process eventually - the longest has been a year - end up on some part of the company website, which can be minor.

Picking up mistakes is not micromanaging. Micromanaging is continually checking progress and never letting you get on with the work.

You should be picking up mistakes, as pp said ask her how she reviews her work. Depending on the type of work checklists may help.

You... have a conversation about it?

Tell her pleasantly and straightforwardly that there have been X and y errors in work she submitted, and those should have been picked up by the time work gets to you, so can she check for those please. Ask her to tell you about how and when she reviews work.

You need to have an honest conversation about her checking her own work before submitting it to you. I'd sit down and go through it on one occasion, so she knows what to look for. I'd also ask her take notes every time I showed her something.