Many managers love to micromanage. They just can’t help it. They believe that telling an employee exactly how to do something and when to do it will fix all their ills. This makes the employee’s job easier. They don’t have to think. Simply “tell them what to do” for every situation and they’ll do it.
But what happens when the boss isn’t around? What do the employees do? Who do they take their direction from? This is a problem.
Let Them Figure It Out
We must allow our employees to figure things out for themselves. When there is a problem, ask them, “How would you fix this?”, and wait for the answer.
- Challenge your team to expand their way of thinking.
- Ask them to identify new ways of doing it. And…
- Reward them for finding appropriate solutions to the issues faced.
You’ll be surprised at how quickly things get done without your help.
Hi Byron, good morning.
It’s strange that micromanagers never seem to realize that they do more harm than good and create more stress for themselves by acting that way. If they spend half as much time training and empowering their team as they do micromanaging, they will be much better off for it. And will have a happier and more productive team. Thanks.
Steve: Years ago I worked for a fellow who was a world-class micromanager. He loved to hear the sound of his own voice, and had to be in on every single minute detail of every project, every aspect. It wasn’t just irritating, it was morale destroying. It finally led me to step down from a prestigious middle-management slot to become a normal, 9 to 5 worker bee again. Since that experience, I’ve decided that people like him are very insecure, and they feel their own position is constantly in jeopardy. It was difficult to watch, and to be part of.
Thanks for this
BE