As a manager, nothing can be more frustrating than finding out that projects are moving along like mud.
This is a chronic issue for organizations where employees are under thumb, afraid to make decisions, or are not empowered to make decisions on their own without getting approval on even the smallest of things from their immediate boss. It’s the leading cause of missing deadlines, not meeting expectations, and buildup of workplace frustration. Employees who are forced to “take a number” and wait in line to get approval on every little detail of what they do will become non-thinking, non-caring dispassionate robots who will eventually resign.
When people are deprived of making their own decisions, it slams the brakes on productivity. And the cause of the problem is usually the manager who is in fear that mistakes will be made, or worse, concerned that the employee won’t do the job the exact same way he or she would do it. And that’s a problem.
Managers who keep such short leashes on employees are doing much more harm than good:
1) The micro-manager puts an unmanageable amount of stress on himself instead of “letting go” and allowing the very people he hired to do a job do their job.
2) It tells employees they are not trusted to make decisions. This is very damaging to the employer/employee relationship, especially when the employee has proven that he or she is perfectly competent and has the capacity to grow.
3) The company doesn’t have the benefit of the creativity and intellect employees have to offer. Confining employees to one way of doing things prevents growth.
4) Nothing will get done anytime soon. Even the smallest projects will take weeks, if not months to complete.
5) Employees will stop caring, and become nothing more than repetitious order-takers.
6) Talented, competent, and intelligent employees will quit. Guaranteed.
On the flip slide, the fastest and most efficient way to get things done is to create a decision-driven culture where employees will be pushed out of their comfort zones, encouraged to experiment, grow and thrive. Think of Apple, Google, SONY, Samsung, and other brands, which are always bringing us a new Jesus. Now ask yourself if employees at these companies are micromanaged.
Leaders make the company, and a company is its people. It’s the reason leadership training is one of the best investment a company can make.