Companies invest plenty of dollars and time searching for top-tier candidates to fill critical roles. More often then not, they are looking for people who have several years of experience, a solid track record of success, excellent communications skills, stellar organizational skills and most importantly, they are looking for “self-starters” – those who don’t need constant supervision. In other words, the ideal person must be able to come aboard running.
And then, they are teamed up with a micromanager.
Micromanagers will tell you they feel the need to monitor and scrutinize the activities of their direct reports because quality control is their top priority. The fact is, managing at such a molecular level has absolutely nothing to do with quality control – it has everything to do with doing things the way the manager wants them done, regardless of whether the manager’s way is right or wrong, best or worst.
So why is micromanaging one of the worst approaches to managing people?
- Well, for starters, if you’re a micromanager, everyone will call you a micromanager. (This reason alone should be all the motivation needed to stop).
- As micromanagers continually tell everyone what to do and how to think, they build a culture where there is no room for new ideas or experimentation – the necessary ingredients for growth and brand differentiation.
- Employees will cease and desist making even the smallest decisions because they are afraid their micromanager will not agree with them, and subsequently get “yelled at.” It breeds a culture where nothing moves fast because the micromanager must approve everything.
- Employees will stop caring. Those who are there for a paycheck and benefits will stay for the paycheck and benefits, but typically won’t do much beyond the bare minimum to keep their jobs.
- Top-producers will resign. Guaranteed. People who are successful and know they can produce simply will not tolerate the leash. They want to work for managers who nurture growth and encourage independence – not stifle it.
- Managers are not always in the best positions to make the best decisions. They need to rely on the intellect, experience and insight of others to make sure the best possible decisions are made.
- Micromanaging keeps people at the bottom with limited decision-making experiences. In the managers’ absence (as in vacation), employees will be severely underprepared to handle issues or problems. In other words, the micromanager will spend half his or her vacation time on the phone or exchanging emails with employees who need their approval on everything before doing anything.
- Nobody wants to go to lunch with a micromanager.
- Micromanagers never win the admiration or respect of their employees. The fact is, micromanaging indirectly tells employees that they are not entrusted to think or make decisions on their own. Micromanaging isn’t business – it’s personal.
A strong leadership training program, such as L.E.T. teaches managers that the formula to success is trusting and empowering employees to make their own decisions and solve their own problems. It’s because no one person could possibly have all the answers.
Consider this: No successful manager, business owner or entrepreneur has ever claimed they were micromanaged to the top.