Micromanagement is Not Leadership: How to Avoid Being a Micromanager
Let’s talk about something that ruffles feathers in the workplace: micromanagement. You might have seen those memes about micromanagement and how much people detest it. After any years in the business world, I've seen my fair share of micromanagers who confused overseeing every little detail with actual leadership. Spoiler alert: they're not the same.
Why Micromanagement Doesn’t Work
Imagine someone always lurking over your shoulder, bombarding you with questions on the status of your work. Annoying, right? But it's not just irritating; it stifles growth. A person needs time to ideate, to research, to work, to create.
It's a fallacy that success requires micromanagement by those in positions of leadership. In reality, micromanagement is often a cloak for the people who use it as a management style, hiding their insecurity, the fear of losing control, or a lack of trust in their team's abilities.
What’s the cost? Individuals and the teams they are part of suffer under the weight of micromanagement. It's like clipping a bird’s wings before it takes flight; you’re not allowing people to explore their potential. When you're always breathing down someone's neck, you're also killing their productivity. People need room to think, to experiment, and yes, even to fail. Because failure isn't just acceptable; it's a rich source of learning.
Stepping Away from the Magnifying Glass
If you're nodding along, feeling a pang of self-recognition in what I’ve written, don't worry. There is a way out of the micromanagement rut.
Here are my tips on where to start:
· Education and training. Leadership isn't always an innate skill. Sometimes, it's crafted and honed through learning, watching others, emulating someone you respect. You can also attend courses that will teach you how to adopt leadership traits and manage people in a way that invokes trust and elicits action.
· Set Clear Expectations. When you manage a person or an entire team, you must communicate what you need from them clearly in the very beginning, then step back and let your team amaze you with their methods. The goal isn't to have them do things your way but to achieve the objective effectively. Give them the wheel and let them drive towards the goal. If they fail, look at it as a learning experience that informs how they conduct themselves on future projects.
· Cultivating Independence and Regular Check-ins. Encourage your team to work independently. This might mean breaking old habits if you've been a longtime micromanager. Have regular check-ins, but not so frequently that it reduces the time they have to work. Agree on reasonable intervals to track progress and trust your team to manage their time and tasks.
· Empower Your Team. Don't be the bottleneck; be their enabler. Give them the information they need to succeed, connect them individuals or groups that can help, and protect them from non-relevant work or requests. Think of it like raising kids. You do your best in the early years, and then trust them to stand on their own.
Transitioning from micromanagement to true leadership can be transformative, not just for your team but for you as a leader. If you've made this shift, or if you're still trying, I'd love to hear your experiences. Drop your stories in the comments, and let's get a conversation going about the real essence of leadership.
