How To Manage Without Micromanaging

Micromanagement is a word no one likes to hear, but it happens too frequently to ignore it.

For many employers, it’s the best way to manage their employees. They can easily oversee every aspect of their work, ensuring minimal mistakes, and maximum control. 

Most employees would associate micromanaging managers with the worst of the worst. They’re the managers who don’t care about their employees’ progression and just like to make everyone miserable. This is probably true in some cases, but oftentimes – it’s the total opposite. 

If you’re a manager who tends to take control, you’re probably doing it out of fear. Fear of:

• Unproductivity

• Not meeting deadlines

• Your own success

• Mistakes being made

• Employees not understanding the right way to do things

And this makes sense. If you watch your employees’ every move, you’ll be able to keep an eye on these things and control the outcome…

But what if I told you that your desperation to be in control was stopping your employees from being productive and engaged? So much so that 69% considered changing jobs because of micromanagement and 36% actually did (Slingshot).

But isn’t micromanagement a way of gaining respect and authority as a leader? If you relax in the way you monitor your employees, will they still view you the same? No, they won’t view you the same, they’ll view you better. Employees will struggle to respect and connect with you if you’re micromanaging them. Why? Because how are they meant to trust you if you don’t trust them to do a good job? 

It’s more than possible to be a great leader without subjecting your employees to micromanagement. Here’s how:

SET CLEAR EXPECTATIONS

I can imagine there are plenty of managers out there micromanaging their employees because they’ve got a performance management strategy in place.

Employees don’t know what’s expected of them, they don’t know what they’re working towards, and they don’t know how to tell whether they’re doing a good job. This is no fault of your employees, this is a fault of your own. As a manager, it’s your job to make everything clear. Communicate priorities, expectations, and responsibilities… regularly.

Instead of prioritising watching your employees, prioritise talking and mentoring your employees. A good way to do this is through 1-1 meetings. Not only will it free up time for you to do your work, but it’ll show your employees that you care about their progression, whilst giving them a chance to take ownership of their work.

PROVIDE PROPER TRAINING

One reason you could be leaning towards micromanagement is because you lack confidence in your team’s ability to do the job properly. You won’t properly solve that problem by watching their every move so they don’t make mistakes, you solve that problem by training them to be capable of doing it on their own.

And training shouldn’t be a one-time thing. Regularly give the opportunities for employees to learn; whether that’s through structured training or providing resources, you’ll not only provide necessary skills and knowledge to employees, but you’ll instil confidence in them – something they will lack with micromanagement (85%).

ENCOURAGE INNOVATION

Micromanagement often stems from the mindset, “If everyone does things exactly how I do things, everything will be fine.” This is singlehandedly one of the biggest mistakes you could make as a manager.

Your employees are full of potential and by micromanaging them, you stunt that potential. Businesses don’t thrive by creating carbon copies, they thrive with difference. Different skills, perspectives and ideas. Many managers avoid this style of working environment because they fear it will cause employees to not respect their direction, but if done correctly, employees will always look to your guidance overall but feel equipped to use their abilities, be creative, and work as a team.

LEAD BY EXAMPLE

Your idea for employee work ethic and professionalism is important, but actions always speak louder than words. 

Be what you want to see in the workplace and your employees will begin to emulate that. Demonstrate someone professional, works hard, cares about their employees and you’ll create a culture that is built on those values. This won’t come through micromanagement.

- Written by Oliver Howson

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