Keren Woodward Quotes

One of the things I'm adamant about as a bandleader is not micromanaging. I'm an advocate for the concept of allowing everyone to be fully vested in what they're doing, so everyone contributes whatever they're inspired to contribute.

When the players go home, I can't tell them what to do, so you need to create an atmosphere of trust. I don't want to think, 'What are they doing now? Do I need to call them?'

If you hire great people, and they're all self-motivated, then you can get by without a lot of structure.

Make sure that team members know they are working with you, not for you.

I wouldn't ask any of my employees to do anything I wouldn't do. And I work as hard, if not harder than the rest of the staff, to set an example. I also believe in giving my employees a lot of room to be creative and to express themselves.

I can assure you we are all strong-willed, forceful personalities and the president encourages vigorous debate.

The key to management is to get rid of the managers.

So I let them be responsible for there particular areas. Then by the time it gets to me that means that there is a problem. I have my eyes open and I need to know something about every department but you don't want to micro manage any particular department.

Our emerging workforce is not interested in command-and-control leadership. They don't want to do things because I said so; they want to do things because they want to do them.

In Britain, you do your job. When you do an American TV show, there is a sense of being one with the crew, and there is a leadership element, which was a learning curve for me because it is very different culturally. In Britain, you just do it, leave and say, 'Thanks.'

I don't think I am that hands-on. I'm much more of a believer in finding a great team of people and trusting them to follow their instincts. They work better when they feel they have freedom and they are trusted.

If you have excellent people, then you have to give them the power.

Each member of the team must feel important - everyone must make my life and choices difficult.

I'm not a micromanager. I don't believe in that.

There's nothing worse than a director who feels more like a cop than a comrade, so I try to never give orders or create an environment where it's 'my way or the highway,' because actually allowing talented people to bring their originality and insight always brings more depth and complexity than if everyone has to do what you tell them to!

It is very hard work, but I am a big believer in not micromanaging; I hire really, really talented people and trust them to do their jobs.

The effective leader recognizes that she is more dependent on her people than they are on her. Walk softly.

It's always fun to be able to have a voice, because it helps me to stay in tune with the project and the people that I am working with. Ther's nothing worse than being on a project and not being able to have a voice. I don't like that.

The best managers figure out how to get great outcomes by setting the appropriate context, rather than by trying to control their people.

If you create an environment where the people truly participate, you don't need control. They know what needs to be done and they do it. And the more that people will devote themselves to your cause on a voluntary basis, a willing basis, the fewer hierarchies and control mechanisms you need.

Distinguish between power and control, delegate, be decisive - and always remember people's first names.

Empowerment is what managers do to people. Engagement is what managers do with people.

We are only in charge when we are willing to let others take charge.

I hired top-notch people, trusted them to do their jobs, and then came to grips with the fact that I wouldn't be coaching as much.

I learnt from an early age this need to delegate responsibility out to other team members as there is just too much for one person to do themselves. What is the point of hiring talented team members if you don't give them the freedom to make the most of the chance you have given them?