By definition,
micromanagement is a management style
where a manager closely observes or controls the work of subordinates or
employees. Micromanagement generally has a negative connotation. Some
fear and even avoid any company that’s associated with the word. Why do people
micromanage?
Micromanaging is a way
for management to ensure that tasks are performed in a very precise manner (in
other words, management’s way). The problem is micromanagement isn’t always the
right (or most productive) way of doing things. If
you are an effective leader, you know it’s better to share an outline of what the
ends should look like, discuss communication plans and performance expectations,
and then let your team shine. Did you know micromanaging means…
Dependent Employees-After being micromanaged, your staff will
begin to depend on you rather than having the confidence to perform tasks on
their own. Micromanagement makes your team feel like they must have your
constant guidance. Dependent employees take more time and effort to manage,
which can take a toll on your schedule and energy. You have to remember that
those employees were initially hired because they brought skills, talents, and
insights to your company that were unique.
When your employees have the freedom to think
on their own, great things can happen. If you micromanage too much, your
employees’ skills, talents, and insights can fall to the wayside, leaving you
with a team that only knows how to do what it's told. You must allow your
employees the freedom to think and act on their own.
High Turnover of Staff-Most people don’t take well to being
micromanaged. When employees are micromanaged, they often do one thing—quit.
Considering the reasons why managers micromanage (ego, insecurity,
inexperience, perfectionism, arrogance), it’s simply not worth the high
turnover rate. Having to constantly train and retrain staff not only robs your
department of momentum, it makes your company lose the skilled and effective
employees it once had for second runner ups and under-qualified people, which
then affects the company’s bottom line and destroys morale. Friendships are
made and destroyed, and eventually, this will crush the spirit of your
staff. Micromanagement leads to employees quitting.
Lack of Autonomy-When you micromanage, your employees begin to
feel like they’re losing their autonomy. When this happens, they’ll slowly lose
the desire to do anything but that which you demand, and little more. No one
will go the extra mile for a task. You hand those same people a certain level
of autonomy and they will take pride in what they do and how they do it. A
lack of autonomy will squelch growth in your employees. One of the goals of
management should be to see staff members rise in the ranks.
Loss of Control-When you micromanage your staff, you limit
yourself by which management tools you have at your disposal until the only
tool you have in reach is control. The funny thing about control is that when
it’s your only means of management, you usually end up losing it.
Rather than gaining control over your team and
product, you lose control and time in trying to micromanage your team. It’s
important to realize that there are many valid management styles and every
staff member reacts differently to each. When you drastically limit your
style, you also limit your ability to communicate and, in the end your ability
to manage.
Loss of Trust-Micromanagement will eventually lead to a
massive breakdown of trust between you and your staff. Your staff will no
longer see you as a manager, but a despot whose only desire is to wall up its
staff.
This crushing act breaks what little trust
already exists between employee and manager. When trust is gone, two things can
happen: a serious loss of productivity and loss of employees. Trust is a
two-way street. Your staff must be able to trust you as much as you trust them.
Micromanagement destroys trust.
No Innovation-One of the biggest dangers of micromanaging
is crushing your employees’ creative spirit. Your team is on the front lines of
your project and they know what is happening better than anyone else, including
you. While some innovations that they bring to the table might not always be
winners, crushing innovation and creativity destroys all chances of the good
ideas coming out and being shared. By refusing to take risks in innovation,
you’re also refusing the potential for progress. Innovation is the key to
progress. Micromanaging your team ruins any chance of growth or
progression.
Your Own Burnout-Micromanaging is downright exhausting.
Looking over so many shoulders every day will very quickly burn you out.
Eventually, you’ll grow to hate your job, straight down to the very company
that employs you. If you hate it enough, you may even end up leaving it, and
possibly never wanting to revisit a management role again.
Burnout is always a danger in any job, but the
energy burned while micromanaging will ignite that wick faster than anything.
This feeling of burnout can affect not only your work life but can stretch into
your home life and cause anxiety and depression. And don’t forget, that burnout
can infect those beneath you.
Managers are not the only victims of burnout;
as you flame out, you will very likely take your staff with
you. Micromanagement is not only bad for your employees, but it can take a
terrible toll on your physical and mental health. Take time to step back,
breathe, and realize that your team can handle its tasks without you constantly
hovering over shoulders.
“Surround yourself with the
best people you can find, delegate authority, and don’t interfere as long as
the policy you’ve decided upon is being carried out.” (Ronald Reagan)[i]
[i] Sources used:
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