Although, I do not completely agree with the above quote that micromanagement is synonym with incompetent managers, I do agree that micro managers are termed otherwise as control freaks.
Projects are end results of a leader's vision and it is best to break down tasks and delegate it within a team. It is of prime importance for the leader to track the status of the broken down individual tasks for efficient and successful completion of the project. However micromanaging the task owners to a point where they reach frustration does not make a good leader. There is a fine line between good management and micro management.
I am trying hard to not be a micromanager for the projects I handle however would welcome ideas on how to detect if my team is frustrated with my project tracking techniques.
My bigger problem though, is dealing with micromanagers. My personal and professional life seems surrounded by micromanagers. I am not sure if that is my own doing. I have noticed that my emotional outbursts are due to control freaks overlooking my tasks. Emotional imbalance leads to reduction in my productivity. I have also noticed that, of late, my stress levels are blown out of proportion due to this. I am sure this is faced by a lot of people and would like to know a way to manage the micro managers without too much ado. I don't think it is wise to come up with plans which involve a lot of time and effort as it eats into the time allocated for the actual task but there should be a simple solution for this and I am still in search of that.
I agree with you completely that micromanagers demoralize their employees and waste both the managers' and employees time while over-instructing and micromanaging. I once had a client lecture me for 45 minutes about the style of email responses. The issue - that I had answered his three emails, each with one question, with one combined email. His preference was that each email answer from me be a separate email, and claimed "everyone in the world who uses email does it this way." Often I find micromanagers as insecure managers and those who feel they have more power with each demand.
ReplyDeleteAs a manager I know that I sometimes do not balance well the level of management. Some assignments I overexplain, and others I do not provide enough details with leads to frustration for my employee and myself. I would do better to talk less and listen more while making assignments to grasp what they understand my instructions to be. One of the things one of my employees has asked is that I email her a list of what she should do, rather than hit her with an unorganized list as I run out the door.
As to Priya's request about how to manage a micromanager, I think it is difficult. Hopefully over time as some trust is built up a manager will give less oversigtht to the employee and have faith that work will be completed to the manager's standards. I think there is probably a tendency now toward micromanagement as the work situation is tough and people are afraid of loosing their jobs.
Hey Joi, Thanks for the feedback. I guess you already know the reason for the multiple blogs from me within the last few days. Family has arrived to help me with the pregnancy but with family comes added situations, confrontations etc. One of my favorite sayings is "The worst things in life may contain the seeds of the best. When you see crisis as an opportunity, life becomes not easy but more satisfying". I am working towards living up to tis quote and using this opportunity to polish my leadership qualities.
ReplyDeleteOver all I would have to agree, but I do think micro management can be a useful, last resort tool. This is because it usually is a waste of time and destroys morale... but... I have seen it be useful, especially with new employees who are struggling. They key factor is that the employee has to ask for it and understand they will not get it forever. In this case, it can help build structure for some one who is lost and help them grow fast in a short period of time. It just has to be a 2 person agreement for a short period of time, otherwise it is a terrible terrible thing!
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