We’re talking about the kind of manager that gives someone a task, a deadline, and then keeps ‘checking up’ to make sure things are moving along. This is micromanagement, and it’s not good.
Signs of micromanagement
- Resist delegating;
- Immerse themselves in overseeing the projects of others;
- Start by correcting tiny details instead of looking at the big picture;
- Take back delegated work before it is finished if they find a mistake in it; and
- Discourage others from making decisions without consulting them.
What’s wrong with micromanaging?
Good managers empower their employees to do well by giving opportunities to excel; Bad managers disempower their employees by hoarding those opportunities. And a disempowered employee is an ineffective one – one who requires a lot of time and energy from his supervisor.
How To Stop?
Quit it, apologize [maybe?] and get to doing actual management, delegating work and letting employees do their jobs.
Avoiding Micromanagement – [MindTools]
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Different Perspectives
Two individuals with PHDs in Industrial Psychology recently highlighted the issue of micromanagement. They focused on the obvious problems of over-managing capable professionals, but also touched on the reality that some claims of micromanagement are false. In some cases employees perceive being “aggressively managed” either because they are incompetent, or simply do not like being managed (this point of view is presented at http://www.transassoc.com/whatismicromngt).