This kind of behaviour is a sign of a manager in trouble - a supervisor who routinely points out minor flaws and spends all his time trumping up his efforts at fixing them, while not having the faintest idea of how the organization can advance as a whole. This kind of manager attempts to mask the symptoms but doesn't think about finding the cure.
Urge for control is a symptom of fear, insecurity, lack of confidence and lack of trust. The root cause of micro-management, basically, is Fear. Fear of appearing incompetent, fear of losing one's position or authority, fear that one's subordinates may take over one's role or importance.
Whether you yourself are showing signs of micro-managing others or it's one of your middle managers, it's important to realize that micro-management is hurting your organization. It jeopardizes employees' job satisfaction. There is no room left for advancement of the subordinates, as the micro-manager-boss does not relinquish responsibilities. This gives rise to resentment among employees. Sub-ordinates are so afraid of the constant criticism and so fed up with the constant follow up of the boss that they no longer take enough interest. Creativity dries up. Motivation level drops with plummeting morale. Productivity becomes the obvious victim.
Micro-management is a management strategy with great or excessive control with attention to too many details. Micro-managers manage with rules, formulas, data, laid-down procedures, straightjacket budgets, and financial ratios. They are so involved in the details of what happens in the organization that they do not have time for doing the strategic plan and obviously they miss the big picture.
If you are micro-managing, you obviously feel insecure about something. It could be your company's disappointing results, it could be pressure from higher level managers, it could be that you're afraid of being replaced, of losing your job. Whatever the case, understand that micro-managing is not the solution. It eats away at your workers, it eats away at you, and it's killing your organization.
Micro-management is a management strategy with great or excessive control with attention to too many details. Micro-managers expect their subordinates to deliver success but their interference assures failure. By keeping them pre-occupied with insignificant tasks, magnifying mistakes and trying to find scapegoats to blame, exploiting people instead of developing them, issuing endless directives verbally or in writing, being obsessed with paper-work instead of result, working unreasonably long hours and expecting others to follow suit, they not only harm themselves but the total organization.
So if you're turning to micro-managing in order to feel important or in control, how can you get out of the trap?
First and foremost, realize that you are not the sole guardian of the organization's welfare. It's a team effort, and if the right people are empowered to do their jobs, and indeed, allowed the time and space to do their jobs properly, then your company has a good fighting chance.
Stay focused and keep your employees focused on a clear vision of the company - where you want your company to go, what you want your company to achieve. Be ever vigilant of getting sucked into a time-and-energy-wasting whirlpool of trivial issues.
Grow into the leader you can be and stop hiding behind menial tasks. Successful managers chase opportunities and lead people to success. Make things happen instead of waiting for things to happen.
Delegate the day-to-day routine functions to make sufficient time to keep a tab on industry news, to study the competitors, to plan for the future - that's the strategic planning that will take your company further, not the day-to-day logistical, mechanical details. The danger is not some slip-up an employee may make; the real danger is the neglect of critical management functions.
Tolerate failures. Allow mistakes to happen. When people realize that they are not punished for risk taking, they will take more risks. Think which is more cost-effective. Allowing for mistakes by employees and encouraging them to fix their own problems? Or paying the price of de-motivated, resentful employees sabotaging you and all your good work?
And learn to praise rather than criticize. Nobody likes a micro-manager who makes them feel like kids in a kindergarten. You'll see your workers becoming happier and more efficient, you yourself will begin to feel better and more assured, and your organization will naturally do well.
Eugine Loh, 938Live, MediaCorp Pte Ltd
