MICROMANAGEMENT
The Seven Ways Micro-Management Erodes Trust, Talent and Results
Let me start this article by highlighting that micro-management was once my go-to approach. This was 25 years ago, when I was in the corporate world. The business, culture and leadership context was challenging, and my response to it challenged others through micro-management. I left corporate in my early 30's and have substantially updated my capabilities. Having worked for and with amazing organisations that demonstrate the benefits of empowerment, the flaws of micro-management are now clear to me. I hope by the end of this article, they will be clear for you too.
Micro-management can have several negative consequences, both for you as a leader and for individuals within your reporting lines. It plays out in the overall productivity and effectiveness of the organisation, impacting teams and the morale within the larger organisation.
Here are seven common consequences of micro-management:
1. Decreased employee morale
Whilst there may be a variance in the amount of micro-management people will tolerate, most employees will succumb to a feeling of being undermined when they are micro-managed for extended periods of time. This can impact their confidence and motivation. When you are constantly told that you are not doing something right, it can lead you to question your abilties. It certainly impacts your willingness to take charge and make things happen. The larger consequence of micro-management over time is that followers have decreased job satisfaction and diminishing morale. That all-important discretionary effort subsides and can be replaced by resentment within followers.
2. Reduced creativity and innovation
A significant consequence of micro-management is reduced creativity and innovation. This stems from the fact that an employee's automony is impacted by the act of micro-management, which limits their ability and willingness to take risks. Micro-managers stifle individual and team creativity, and an individual's willingness to innovate, as employees can become overly-cautious and unwilling to go out on a limb to bring new and exciting ideas or approaches into being.
3. Impaired decision-making
When employees are not given freedom to make their own decisions and solve problems in their own way, they can become overly reliant on their micro-manager for guidance. This can signficiantly impact the development of their ability to think critically, and make quality decisions. Whilst not signficantly impactful for followers in junior roles, this can have a large consequence to organisations when critical thinking has not been cultivated as talent has worked through the ranks of leadership.
A further consequence is that decision-making becomes delayed. If all decisions are escalated to one central point, it is inevitable that a bottle neck will be created, slowing down decision-making processes within the organisation, and perhaps costing opportunities that were missed as a result.
4. Increased stress and burnout
Constant monitoring, interference and changes from a micro-manager can create a stressful work environment. Employees and teams of followers may feel overwhelmed by the micro-manager's demands. Over time, these can lead to increasing stress levels and ultimately burnout. This added burden can negatively impact follower's mental health and physical well-being. When compromised, mental health and physcial health issues can lead to decreases in productivity and higher staff turnover levels.
5. Hindered professional growth
Micromanagement often limits opportunities for development of key skills and professional growth. When employees are not entrusted with challenging tasks or given the autonomy to tackle problems independently, their potential for growth and advancement within the organisation is restricted. In a worst case, the organisation will promote individuals who have not had the ability to cut their teeth in challenging situations, which can lead to ineffective leadership in times that require leadership muscle.
6. Increased employee turnover
Employees who feel micromanaged are likely to become frustrated and disengaged, leading them to seek opportunities elsewhere. High employee turnover can disrupt team dynamics, increase recruitment and training costs, and have a negative impact on overall productivity and continuity. At a leadership level, the cost of hiring is suggested to be between 50% to 1.5 times the annual package of the leader, whilst they find their feet in the organisation and industry. High staff turnover is expensive in money, time and energy, which is why retaining talent is essential.
7. Diminished teamwork and collaboration
Micromanagement can erode teamwork and collaboration within a team. When employees are constantly focused on pleasing their micro-manager and seeking approval, they may become less willing to share information, collaborate with their colleagues, or contribute to a positive team environment. Inexperienced managers may mimic their leader, and themself become a micro-manager, creating a culture of interference, intolerance and exhaustion in an effort to get things done.
Concluding thoughts on micro-management
It's easy to recognise that when leaders stop listening, people stop talking. Micro-managers create a reliance on themselves, which makes for bottlenecks and inefficiencies which simply cannot be sustained by a leader of larger teams.
To build a healthy work environment and promote productivity, leaders should aim to strike a balance between providing guidance and autonomy, allowing employees to take ownership of their work, make decisions, and grow professionally. The level of guidance versus freedom can be determined by understanding an individuals capability and experience, enhanced through mentoring and holding quality coaching conversations that are growth and development focused.
Invitation
If you recognise that your micro-manager is in control, and you'd like to find a better way of leading your teams, reach out for a conversation around how I can assist you to make the shift, through one of my coaching offerings.
