As the team leader, managers play an essential role in their teams, guiding and empowering them to reach their fullest potential. Although managers are a critical component of the team they lead, challenges can arise when managers become so integral to workflows that they cannot take time off without bringing productivity to a halt. Effective managers are able to balance their strong leadership capabilities while implementing mechanisms that allow their team to function for short periods autonomously. 

Given all the harmful repercussions stemming from over-reliance on managers for workflow productivity, it’s evident that this creates systemic vulnerabilities. When a manager finds themself too involved in workflows, it often stems from internal and/or external pressures. Many are driven by the fear of disrupting the team, causing deadlines to slip, or quality to decline. Some managers experience external pressure from senior leadership due to strict demands for perfect performance. Other causes may be a lack of trust in oneself, caused by impostor syndrome, or even a lack of trust in their team. Regardless of the source of the pressure, they can trap managers in a cycle of over-involvement, even when the over-involvement is detrimental to the team's long-term success. 

The behaviors exhibited by over-involved managers and the pressures that cause them are similarly reflected in PTO culture. When managers feel indispensable, they and their teams will be more resistant to logging off to take personal time. Especially in organizations with “unlimited PTO”, employees may take less time off due to the implicit pressure to keep workflows progressing. Managers' modeling the expectations of constant involvement gets internalized and practiced by staff. 

This team norm of manager reliance for workflows creates a cycle: managers are overloaded by workflows and feel pressured not to take time off, which increases team dependency and conveys the message that no one on the team should take time off. As a manager, it is critical to break the feedback loop and create a balanced approach that prioritizes managers’ ability to take time off without causing disruptions. 

Managers who develop a more balanced approach positively impact themselves and their team. Dedicating time for personal time off works to limit the effects of burnout while also increasing personal motivation. Additionally, avoiding dependency of workflows on a singular manager can prevent costly disruptions later on for the organization. Most importantly, prioritizing managers’ ability to not overly involve themselves in workflows can foster a culture of trust and responsibility, positively impacting the team's productivity. 

Rather than taking on all the responsibility and being involved in all decision-making processes, managers should identify tasks that can be completed by other team members to allow for more efficient progress. Delegating simultaneously distributes the workload more adequately throughout the team and encourages team members to take ownership of new tasks. Managers may be hesitant to delegate tasks; slowly delegating more responsibilities to employees helps to ease managers and direct reports into this new dynamic. 

2. Cross-train Employees

Cross-training employees ensures there are multiple team members who can step up and assume some of their managers' responsibilities in their absence. Through additional training and development, team members can become equipped with a wider skillset to prepare them for additional responsibilities. Conducting continuous training works to build confidence in the capabilities of direct reports. 

3. Document Procedures 

An obstacle for others to assume managers' responsibilities while they take time off may simply be a lack of proper documentation. Managers with specific procedures for processes, but no documentation for said processes, create unnecessary knowledge gaps. Accessibility of proper documentation removes reliance on memory and expertise, allowing other team members to conduct sufficient procedures without constant direct oversight. 

4. Effective Management Software 

Utilizing performance management software can streamline tasks and promote team collaboration. AIM Insights, a performance management software, utilizes monthly surveys to uncover gaps between team sentiments and managers' perceptions. These monthly surveys, along with AIM’s goal benchmarking capabilities, can transform managers' ability to delegate and better understand their teams' needs. 

Teams shouldn’t encounter a scenario in which the team cannot exist if someone takes the day off. Not only does this pressure from extreme team reliance harm managers, but the organization as a whole. Managers who recognize they are so integral to the workflows that they cannot take time off must reevaluate why these sentiments are held and how they can adapt their management style to allow their team to function adequately on its own at times.