Micromanagement is a term used to define managers who pay excessive attention to the minor tasks that are supposed to be handled by the subordinate staff. It is the excessive control of the little details. It is usually the use of extreme obsession whereby the minutes of the particulars are causing failure directly to the management. The notion is characterized by some unnecessary requests as well as over-detailed reports. Micromanagement is known to be a difficult habit to break. Therefore, a person can play downplay propensities by labeling themselves as a control freak and giving weak excuses for wanting to be close to the team.
Most of the managers are required to act as leaders with leadership skills. Leaders work together with other staff compared to managers who are only there to give orders and instructions on what is supposed to be done and how without their involvement in the task. Worst of all, micromanaging keeps scrutinizing workers’ movements and activities without directly helping wherever there seems to be a problem. Micromanagers should stop the act since it kills the team morale, creates mistrust, and limits the team’s capacity to grow. As a manager, when one concentrates on the minor details rather than the most important ones for the better movement of the business or organization, it slightly hampers your ability to do what is essential for better change.
If a manager’s mind is full of micro-level details, there will be no room for essential picture thoughts since the brain is focusing on unnecessary details. Managers should understand that they cannot carry out all company activities. They cannot competently organize, execute, prepare, or plan everything that needs to be accomplished within the firm, and different people within the organization have different capabilities as well as talents.
These types of managers are ego driven where they believe in themselves more than other staff, they think they are the brightest as well as the best, and no one can do better than them. They have arrogant, selfish, and proud attributes, which are not great. I believe that every founder and supervisor, large business and small, at all levels, needs to delegate some tasks to different tasks to subordinate staff. I think that everyone is capable of working in their field and there are several benefits associated with this delegation. If managers delegate lower-level priorities to subordinate staff, they can get time to concentrate on more important and urgent tasks.
Leaders are in a position to manage their time better. With that limited amount of perishable time, wise leaders will use each precious hour to concentrate on the items that matter most in the organization. When staff are delegated and trusted to carry out the various tasks, they feel respected and appreciated. They think energetically and loyally and become better contributors, making them feel like part of the company and remain committed to its success. Managers who delegate the company responsibilities wisely are rewarded with their accomplishments, and all the staff feel proud of them.
As a leader, you cannot dictate everything and expect the company’s vision and mission to be successfully implemented. Every successful manager should be an opportunist since they must be in a position to take advantage of the opportunities available as well as their circumstances. After the manager realizes the micromanagement behaviors in them and that they are the enemy of their success, they need to stop them. Therefore, various things must be carried out to let some micromanaging behaviors go. One of them is a need for the person to reflect on their practice. Understanding where the micromanage attitude is coming from and why. Most managers are likely to suffer from some insecurity issues. They are afraid that it may have a lousy picture on them if the team does not do the task the same way they would, so they tend to overcompensate to avoid failures. However, if you do not give other staff the opportunity, one will not learn their talents and abilities to perform in that capacity. More so, it will hinder them from growing and make them move and search for a job where they can be trusted.
In real-life situations, there is a wide gap between the leader and what the team members are experiencing in their field of work. Therefore, getting feedback is the most crucial aspect as a way of sharing their experiences since it gives the leaders an opportunity to see how the issue is or its significance as well as understanding the broader reactions and patterns on your team and getting feedback on your micromanaging. A good manager should be able to prioritize what matters and what does not. As a good manager who avoids micromanaging, one should train and delegate so you do not have to take everything on yourself.
Once the managers have determined the company priorities, the next step is communicating to the entire team. Having a conversation on what matters and specifying matters that they will need to seek guidance and approval. Sharing with them the responsibilities and their help will make them feel recognized, and their contribution to the organization is of great help to you. Stepping back slowly by recognizing you are not the only best worker and your services are not only necessary for the company moving forward. Building trust is another crucial issue while trying to quit the micromanagement behavior. Since your team members are used to your ways of failing to believe them, it is the best time to come to their approval that you have to change your attitude towards them. The first step is to give your employees the psychological power to lead and ensure the team members of your faith in them and their abilities.
As a leader, ask your employees how you might victoriously carry out the delegation process. Consulting will make them feel like they are part of the team thoroughly, as well as approve their gratitude and feel motivated for the organization’s success. The best leaders hold their team accountable in a certain crucial way to avoid micromanaging. Leaders who are not micromanagers do not mean that they leave their employees to do whatever they feel like they want to do, but there is some control. George was a micromanager who used his energies to put a lot of pressure on his employees, like other micromanagers he was unable to train new employees but continuously question their actions.
As the manager or the CEO of a company, you need to make sure that the outcome or result of the business is what you need. For more excellent results, one needs to hire great employees and give them room to do their job well. Providing them with their space without scrutinizing them all the time and monitoring their step helps build trust and make them work competently. However, a good manager should carry out their managerial activity carefully to avoid disappointing results, more so if the outcome or results are not as impressive as expected.
References
Taylor, B. K. (2016). Micromanagement and its Impact on an Organization’s Success (Doctoral dissertation, The Chicago School of Professional Psychology).
