Why Micromanagement Doesn’t Equal Increased Productivity
Could you be a micromanager? And why should you care?
If you’re a micromanager, your employees are probably pretty miserable. They won’t feel trusted or valued if their work is being constantly scrutinized or you’re checking up on every little thing they do.
What’s the difference between hands-on management and micromanagement?
Being a hands-on manager is good. This type of manager is heavily involved in setting goals and ensuring that employees are clear on desired outcomes. They do check in on progress throughout the course of the work, but not every step of the way. Micromanagers dictate exactly how employees should do the work, watch over every step in the process and refuse to delegate any decisions. No surprises here—departments with micromanagers tend to have lower morale and productivity.
How does micromanagement affect engagement and retention?
To put it bluntly, micromanaging is one of the top ten reasons your best employees will quit. Employees rate the quality of the relationship with their manager and the amount of autonomy as highly important to their levels of engagement and their loyalty to a position. Micromanagement also takes a toll on the productivity of both the supervisor and the employee.
Could you be a micromanager?
It’s time to be honest with yourself. How would you answer the following questions?
- Are you frustrated that your employees don’t do their work as well as you would do it?
- Do you frequently correct or redo your employees’ reports and presentation slides?
- Even if you don’t do their work for them, do you review their work and have them redo it according to your specifications? Do you even send it back again and again until they get it the way you want it?
- Do you find you spend more time on projects and technical work than on coaching your employees to do the work?
If you answered “Yes” to any of those questions, you’re probably a micromanager.
What can you do about it?
Breaking the micromanagement habit will require some work, but here are three basic steps to start with:
1. Identify the root cause – Do you have any reason not to have trust or confidence in your team? Do you have team members who don’t carry through or miss deadlines? Figuring out the root cause can help you take action to change the situation.
2. Be clear on accountability – If you want your team be accountable, then make sure you create SMART (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant and Time-sensitive) goals for them. This makes it easy for them to know if they are or aren’t meeting your expectations.
3. Let go – Knowing when to step back and give your team the space they need to explore a problem, brainstorm, come up with solutions and execute them is key to being a good manager.
And remember, if you’re looking for employees who are skilled, trained and experienced, call or contact Triumph any time! We look forward to partnering with you to find top IT talent.
