Micromanagement refers to a management style that emphasizes excessive control over the work of others, right down to the smallest detail.
How to Identify Micromanagement?
Clues to identify micromanagement situations include:
- A manager who has difficulty delegating
- A high number of follow-up meetings
- Lack of confidence in employees’ abilities
- High staff turnover
- Perfectionism
- Obsession with details
- Lack of access to information
- Lack of transparency
Why Do People Micromanage?
People may practice micromanagement for several reasons, such as:
- They lack perspective on their work
- They feel trapped between the requests of senior management and the those of their team members
- They give too much importance to details
- They lack self-confidence
- They lack leadership
- They want to take credit for the success of others
What Are Some Examples of Micromanagement?
Examples of micromanagement include:
- A manager who insists on proofreading all emails sent to customers
- A manager who makes a detailed list of all tasks to be accomplished and how they are to be carried out
- A manager who doesn’t want employees to answer customers’ questions on the phone, and does it for them
- A manager who systematically verifies everything after employees have completed a task
How Do You Tell a Manager to Stop Micromanaging?
There are several strategies to tell a manager that they must stop micromanaging their team, such as:
- Having an honest and transparent discussion about how micromanagement affects employees’ work, focusing on tangible examples and repercussions
- Trying to gain the micromanager’s trust by following up with them
- Talking to a representative of the human resources department to ask for help
- Setting clear limits and expressing oneself clearly when micromanaging prevents certain tasks from progressing
Why Is Micromanagement a Toxic Management Practice?
Micromanagement is a toxic management practice because it makes employees feel less competent than they really are, and can affect their self-confidence.
Micromanagement creates a great deal of tension within a team and prevents employees from developing their knowledge and skills. It hinders the advancement of a team and a company, and contributes to tarnishing relations between employees.
What Are the Consequences of Micromanagement?
Micromanagement can cause:
- Poor employee performance
- A decrease in employee motivation and commitment
- Less creativity and innovation
- A deterioration in interpersonal relations
- An increase in burnout
- An increase in errors
- The creation of a toxic work environment
