🎃 Happy Halloween! It’s my favorite holiday because some of the best times with my family were in the movie theater watching Nightmare on Elm Street + Child’s Play during my formative years. That’s another newsletter on parenting. FYI - I’m still afraid of dolls.

This edition of Yo. You’re on Mute. is a special one. I’m bringing out my favorite spooky Nike Dunks for trick-o-treating (flexin’ my footwear on all the kids) and celebrating our third newsletter with some of Issa Rae’s new Prosecco. Good things come in 3s.

Our mission here is rooted in redefining how we look at HR/People Operations while the focus of accessibility and impact remains.  We have the power to build best-in-class People experiences that collectively change our ways of working for the better. I believe it.

Now, let’s get to the good stuff. A spooky tale of Micromanagers [insert high pitch screaming]. 😱

⛽️ Fueling creativity + community + connections ⛽️

🗣 Special Sound Off: a super special shoutout to Sydney Oshuna-Williams for giving me the virtual stage to speak to the amazing Moguls-in-Training through the Usher’s New Look Program. I can’t wait to see all the dope sh*t they will accomplish. It’s not everyday you get to teach the next generation how to “Focus the Hustle” or meet an HR professional with a gold grill (AKA gold teeth). Well, you have now and it’s my fave Houston accessory. 😎

If this email was forwarded to you, tap in and join the cool collective.

🧟‍♀️🧟🧟‍♀️ Here’s the scene. The zombie apocalypse is upon us and you’re a Micromanager.

Spoiler alert: we ain’t got time for that and you probably won’t be the last one standing. 🤷🏽‍♀️

Peep the scene.

Your workplace or biz it right in the thick of a zombie apocalypse and you’ve assembled a team of avengers to battle this thing out. You all are working towards a common goal and understand the shared behaviors + belief regarding how work is done. Sound familiar, yet? Then enters THE MICROMANAGER.

This person is slowing down the process, ability to be agile in a HIGH-STRESS environment, and sh*tting on the culture that everyone has worked hard to build. Team members aren’t able to do their jobs to gather resources before night time (when the zombies go hard AF), and they are burnout from being under the microscope. Some are wondering if joining the zombies (could this be the detractors on your eNPS score) would be a better move. AHHHH! This is turning into zombies v. micromanagers: a tale of two nightmares.

We need a strategy for this micromanaging mayhem - we have to survive this zombie apocalypse.

Now let’s throw in our company values to this situation and why micromanaging won’t work. It’s a recipe for disaster and I’m not trying to convert to zombie Cassidy. BTW - we are in a startup working environment.

Reasons to consider:

Counterproductive to a High-Performance Culture: Micromanaging hinders employees' ability to take ownership of their work and demonstrate their Hustle and Hunger. It can create a suffocating environment where employees are less likely to go above and beyond because they constantly feel watched and controlled.

Inhibits Creativity and Innovation: Startups thrive on innovation, and micromanagement can stifle creativity. When employees are given more autonomy, they are more likely to come up with creative solutions to problems and contribute to the company's growth.

Erodes Trust and Morale: Micromanagement erodes trust between managers and their teams. It communicates a lack of trust in employees' abilities, which can lead to decreased morale, job satisfaction, and engagement.

✋🏽 When managers regularly acknowledge and appreciate their team's efforts, it reduces the need for micromanagement to ensure productivity.

Undermines the Team Value: The core value of We Over Me encourages teamwork and a sense of community. Micromanagement fosters an individualistic approach, where employees may become more concerned with pleasing their manager rather than working together as a team.

✋🏽 When employees know what's expected of them, they are more likely to take ownership of their work.

Stops the Stretch: A Growth Mindset encourages employees to embrace challenges and learn from failures. Micromanaging can discourage risk-taking and limit the opportunities for employees to learn and grow from their experiences.

time to sound off.

I’ll be transparent and say I’ve fell into the micromanaging bucket before. I wanted control to know the work was getting done to a certain standard. A helicopter manager and mom - ICK. I had to check myself and the root cause of that feeling quick. It all came down to fear, fear of the unknown and uncertainty overall.

🗣 In a zombie apocalypse, survival hinges on teamwork, adaptability, and swift decision-making. Micromanaging would be detrimental because it would slow down processes, erode trust, and make the team more vulnerable to zombie threats.

👋🏽 hey HR, I need a life line.

A quick TL;DR moment.

how we can support.

• Training and Development (you knew this was coming) - this can help managers feel more confident in giving employees autonomy.

• Clear Communication - this fosters a sense of transparency and accountability.

• Setting Clear Expectations - this also means setting achievable goals for team members.

• Feedback + Recognition - encourage and ask how feedback is happening in your org. (does it feel more one-sided in the process?)

what we can ask people leaders.

• What outcomes are you trying to achieve by closely supervising your team's work? How can we measure success without micromanaging?

• Can you identify areas where your team members have demonstrated their competence and reliability? How can you empower them to take more ownership in those areas?

• How can you encourage a culture of open communication and trust within your team so that employees feel comfortable sharing their progress and challenges?

• In what ways can you delegate tasks or projects to team members, providing them with autonomy while ensuring they have the resources and support they need to succeed?

• Are there specific training or development opportunities that would help you become more confident in your team's abilities and feel comfortable granting them more autonomy?

you may wonder if you have micromanager tendencies.

👀 Ask yourself these questions.

👉🏽 Am I providing clear expectations and goals to my team members, allowing them room to execute tasks autonomously?

👉🏽 Do I trust my team members to make decisions and complete tasks without constant oversight?

👉🏽 Am I regularly checking in on progress and asking for updates in a way that might be perceived as excessive or intrusive?

👉🏽 Do I find myself frequently correcting or redoing work that my team members have already completed?

👉🏽 Have I given my team members the opportunity to take ownership of their projects and initiatives, or do I tend to dictate the steps they should take?

⚡️QUICKSTRIKE HR + OUT OF THE BOX NEWS

The HR/People Operations landscape is evolving. As the HR World Turns 🌎 could be its own show. Check out some of the happenings below.

• Conversations around culture are important. I just picked up this book “How to Keep Your Company Culture from going to SH!T”. Excited.

• We are always trying to level up the employee experience. I love what PYN is doing to support this important initiative. Check out their open library.

• Turning to TikTok for career coaching? Interesting. Check out the read here.

👟 ONE TO ROCK, ONE TO STOCK

Some HR people may like pilates and shopping trips to Ulta. You could say my thing is sneakers + streetwear. If you enjoy sneaker culture - this section is for you.

• It’s one of my fave holidays and I’m still dreaming of the Freddy Dunk Lows I’ll never have.

• The homie Mike D. Sykes has a super informative newsletter that brings you into the business of sneakers. A must read.

• Here’s a sneaker release that has landed on my wish list. I NEED THEM.

🗣 LET’S COME OFF MUTE + CONNECT

Supporting the small biz/brand owner is important to me. Each newsletter, I’ll introduce you to some talented people in my network and beyond.

• I’ve been having style sessions with an amazing entrepreneur, Rocquelle Porch, who runs a podcast “Black Style Anecdotes”. Stay connected.

• Kindred Stories in Houston, Tx is a book store connecting readers to literature and curated experiences that amplify the intersection of Black identity + marginalized voices.

• Venita Cooper, owner of Silhouette Sneakers + Art Tulsa, has launched Arbit. A sneaker resale pricing platformed powered by AI. Read here.

🎧 A SONG I DIDN’T SKIP ON MY PLAYLIST TODAY

Bobby Brown’s music was a staple in my home growing up. When I saw he was on the Ghostbuster’s soundtrack, I was hyped. My little self was dancing all around the living room. 👻

“Too hot to handle, too cold to hold. They're called the Ghostbusters and they're in control.”

Now it’s time to get into a new month tomorrow. Is time flying by or is it just me? I hope you enjoyed our special edition newsletter today. My hot take is candy corn is the worst Halloween candy ever. Reply and let’s debate on this!

From the book of Destiny’s Child, “I’m a Survivor, I’m not gon’ give up, I’m not gon’ stop, I’m gon’ work harder…”

With that said - please remember to rest + recharge.🔋. Never know when the zombies will show up.