A boss creates fear, a leader confidence. A boss fixes blame, a leader corrects mistakes. A boss knows all, a leader asks questions. A boss makes work drudgery, a leader makes it interesting. ~Russell H. Ewing
What is Micromanager?
A micromanager exerts excessive control of insignificant activities. Micromanagers believe that they can do job better than their subordinates. Micromanagers take credit for the successes of subordinates and blame them for failure.
Does this describe you?
- You are never quite satisfied with deliverables.
- You often feel frustrated because you would have done the task differently.
- You laser in on the details and take great pride in making corrections.
- You constantly want to know where all of your team members are and what they are working on.
- You ask for frequent updates on where thing stand.
- You want to be cc’d on emails.
If your answer is yes, congratulations! you are a micromanager. While micromanaging may get you short term results, over time it negatively affects your team and organization.
What is the cost of micromanaging?
Productivity
- Micromanagers are huge bottlenecks to productivity. When a micromanager insists on reviewing everything it doubles the time it takes to complete a task.
- When people work for a micromanager they learn that there is no point in trying to have autonomy they check out and stop paying attention.
- Employees begin doing inferior work because they know it will be double checked over and over again.
Employee Morale
- Constant belittling of employees causes them to lose confidence and to refuse to engage in the business.
- People will not tolerate micromanaging for long and will leave the company. (Employees leave managers – not businesses.) This results in high turnover.
- Micromanaging obliterates synergy and creative ideas are lost.
Success
- The success of any business depends on the employees. Micromanaging results in undermining opportunity and takes away employees incentive to contribute.
- Success is a powerful motivator for employees. When the micromanager takes credit for success employees may begin sabotaging projects.
- Success depends on the choices we make.
Action you can take: Watch this brief video and then contact me to help you shift from Micromanager to Extraordinary Leader.
