I'm tired of correcting my team's work
A DM I received over on Instagram last week was…
"I’m trying to delegate and give autonomy, but their work just isn’t up to scratch, and I'm tired of correcting it"
Sound familiar?
It sure did for me so I just HAD to dig into this scenario this week.
I know the feeling so clearly. We give clear instructions. Follow up. Assume the team has it under control.
And yet, somehow… things still slip through the cracks.
Reports are submitted with errors.
Important deadlines are missed.
Emails go out with the wrong details.
Small but crucial steps keep getting forgotten.
And now we’re left feeling like we need to check everything to make sure it’s right.
At this point, you might be asking yourself:
Do they just not care?
Are they rushing through their work??
Do I have the wrong people in these roles???
It’s frustrating, and it’s exhausting. But here’s the good news… This isn’t nessecarily a personality default in our team (like a lot of us managers tend to think)
This is actually leadership issue, one that can be solved like any other.
If your team consistently misses details, however frustrating it may feel, it is still on us to fix it (without becoming a micromanaging nightmare).
Let me show you how I’d work through this…
Step 1: Find the root cause: Why are they missing details?
Before we can solve any problem, we must first figure out exactly why it’s happening.
It’s easy to assume it’s just carelessness, but the reality is usually a more specific.
Potential reasons:
Lack of clarity – They don’t fully understand the expectations.
Cognitive overload – They have too much on their plate to focus properly.
No real accountability – There are no consequences for mistakes.
They don’t see the impact – They don’t realise how these small errors affect the bigger picture.
Task switching – They’re constantly bouncing between tasks, making it easy to overlook things.
✅ What to Do:
Before jumping to conclusions, sit down and ask:
“What do you think is causing these details to get missed?”
“Do you feel like you have enough time and resources to do this work properly?”
“What would help you catch these mistakes before they happen?”
We just need to get to the route cause as a first step.
Step 2: Set a new standard (and make it non-negotiable)
If your team isn’t detail-oriented, chances are they don’t think details matter that much. That needs to change.
How to shift the mindset:
Tie details to real consequences. Show them how small mistakes create big problems.
Make attention to detail part of performance expectations. If it’s not something you’re tracking, they won’t take it seriously. Just mentioning it in 1on1s can go a long way.
Reinforce the standard consistently. If you let things slide even once or twice, they’ll assume details don’t really matter.
✅ What to say in your next team meeting:
“From now on, attention to detail isn’t optional. If something leaves this team with mistakes, it’s on us. Our reputation depends on getting it right the first time.”
Step 3: Implement the ‘No Surprises’ rule
If you keep getting blindsided by errors at the last minute, you need a better quality control system.
The ‘No Surprises’ Rule:
Get your team to check work earlier in the process, not just at the final stage.
Have them flag potential mistakes before you catch them.
Build ‘pause points’ into workflows to review details before moving forward.
✅ How to Do It:
Get obsessive with self-checklists before submission (We have these for everything, social media, emails)
Require a second pair of eyes for key deliverables.
Step 4: Assign true ownership
If your team isn’t detail-oriented, it’s likely because you’re carrying the responsibility for catching their mistakes. That really needs to shift.
How to get them to own it:
If a mistake happens, have them fix it themselves (Do not jump in and fix it for them, no matter how tempting it is!)
Connect their work to real stakes. If they send incorrect information to a client, they should be the one to explain and correct it.
If your team keeps missing details, it’s not just a default in their behavior. But something we as leaders need to help solve.
Over to you,
H x