The dangers of micromanagement
Spotting the symptoms
The ability to lead effectively is a rare and invaluable quality and assisting in the development of others during the day-to-day, is the mark of a natural leader. However, there are two sides to every coin, and for every effective leader there are those that micromanage as opposed to developing the talent of team members around them.
Few are likely to admit to micromanaging, but statistics don’t lie… Employees complain more about micromanagement than anything else. If you’re worried that this could be affecting employee retention or personal growth within your organisation, the following list highlighting the traits of a micromanager, is well worth reading.
Micromanagers struggle with delegation and often care more about how something is done rather than getting it done. They will often delegate responsibility but not the necessary authority to successfully complete a task or assignment.
- Granular focus – Micromanagers apply too much focus to the finer details meaning they often lose sight of the bigger picture. Delegation often centres around the granular details of a project rather than the outcome.
- Know it all – Micromanagers have all the answers, meaning the opinions of others are seldom required. The desire to control reduces their dependancy on the skills and abilities of the team, leaving employees feeling isolated and uninspired.
- Downplay the importance of others – Micromanagers like to be (or at least appear to be) in control. This can often result in them limiting the decision-making capacity of others, which can become hugely frustrating for employees as deadlines are missed and progress is throttled whilst waiting for approval.
- Power hungry – Micromanagers are more interested in correcting those around them than helping them to develop. They enjoy finding and highlighting mistakes that others have made. This type of behaviour allows them to feel more powerful and satisfies their craving for recognition.
Conclusion
Micromanagement can cost your business time, energy and money. Failure to identify and resolve its existence will effect retention, motivation and productivity. If you want to explore what can be done to reduce the impact of micromanagement on your workforce, get in touch with a member of the Cormis team today.
