𝙒𝙃𝙔 𝘿𝙊 𝙒𝙀 𝙎𝙏𝙄𝙇𝙇 𝙃𝘼𝙑𝙀 𝙈𝙄𝘾𝙍𝙊𝙈𝘼𝙉𝘼𝙂𝙀𝙍𝙎? Research suggests that more than half of managers are micromanagers. Additional research suggests the supervisor trait most despised by employees is micromanaging. Lest you forget, the number one reason for voluntary turnover is bad boss relationships. So why have we not solved the micromanaging problem? We know why it happens: fear of bad outcomes, need for control, lack of trust, etc. We know the best practices for dealing with a micromanager: proactively communicate, build trust through reliability, set gentle boundaries, document everything, etc. And yet the epidemic continues. Why? I have two ideas and would like to hear yours as well. First, micromanaging is often a blind spot – from the perspective of the person who evaluates the micromanager. They don’t get feedback from the employees who experience it and they don’t have a lot of direct observational data. Thus, the offending manager rarely sees consequences. Second, communication skills are eroding over time. They are the foundation of a better path forward, but they are slipping. Thanks to many factors (e.g., crumbling education systems, various types of new technology), each subsequent generation has allowed interpersonal communication skills to decline. More texting less talking. Face-to-face communication is way down. As a result, today’s employees are less willing and able to engage a dialogue about this tense topic (or any other). To be clear, nearly all pundits suggest that the top skills you need to thrive in the new world of AI (aside from the ability to work with AI) are people skills. So, the not so magical answer is simply to challenge yourself to actually try the useful best practices that are out there! Go start the dialogue with kindness and respect. Here’s your incentive: if you solve this, you will experience a better average mood at work, feel a better sense of fairness, and you’re likely to enjoy an overall higher level of mental health at work too. Not to mention, having mended this aspect of your relationship puts you in a better position for good evals and promotion, if that is something you value. Stop ignoring this, plan the conversation, go do it. You’re welcome. That’s my quick take – what are your thoughts about the persistence of micromanagers and what to do about them? #managing #leadership #micromanaging #communication
Such a relevant post. An insight I had earlier: people have different definitions of micromanaging. A manager asking for a status update… is that micromanaging or is it just checking in? In other words if there is agreement on the definition and clarity about benchmarks or scheduled follow up, it can resolve part of the problem. I’d say a lack of clarity about what success looks like, and an inability to have regular conversations is a root cause.
Just a thought Todd Dewett, PhD. I wonder if micro-managing is on the rise because managers are overwhelmed. When everything feels chaotic, leaders might start tracking more details or asking for more updates as a stress response...a counterproductive way to feel some semblance of control.
Micromanagers act out of fear and a lack of appropriately scaled governance. We can all end up there: provide too much space for people to try (and fail), with insufficient governance, guidelines and reflection spaces. Next thing you know your projects are making you look bad and fear of failure beds itself in. My first comment would be to not create new micromanagers. Instead ensure that managers understand that humans are flawed and put systems and governance in place to a degree that matches the companies risk appetite. Providing fault tolerant safe spaces for employees to try and succeed or fail as the case may be. For those who are already micromanagers, then they will need professional coaching and mentoring to unpick their fears and come up with new life ontologies.
now THIS is the ONLY thing I am most allergic to (ok, this and the abuse of power), and as straight out of luck as one can be, ALL my previous (and current) employers are TERRIBLE micromanagers, making me constantly question my sanity and/or if something is wrong with today's society and business world in general! 😅 ..and so that's how I came to be a hotel night auditor! I have had enough of this foolishness and I decided I should make myself less available during working hours, so the solution at hand? work when noone else does! and guess what, it WORKS! 😆
Micromanaging is a coping mechanism for an anxious leader. It buys temporary control at the cost of long-term talent retention.
The blind spot phenomenon is real, and a lack of effective communication reinforces it. I like your photo because I once had a manager look over my shoulder and comment on my work while I was doing it. Guess how long her behavior lasted? Less than a minute! I let my feelings be known immediately, and she backed off immediately! But I'll add one other thing to the list: status differential makes it difficult for someone to speak up to their boss. The power dynamic intimidates many. Speaking up is an important part of the job! And if you have trouble speaking up when the power dynamic is different, you'll want to address that particular public speaking challenge.