Office Space (Photo credit: Legozilla)

This is probably my first post (or one of very few) regarding business and the workplace. Perhaps I don’t write about it because TTWC is my escape from my work life! LOL Nevertheless, this #31WriteNow challenge has encouraged me to expand my writing horizons.

The other day, during a meeting with my boss, we were discussing management styles. A point I made to her was that many people seem to mistake micromanagement with “being in the know.” I have come to the following conclusion regarding the difference. Someone who micromanages takes matters into their own hands and out of the hands of those s/he manages and basically does the work themselves, or wants to have input into every aspect of the situation or project. They act. This, in my opinion, is usually as a result of not trusting the ability of their subordinate, or their own personal insecurity. They feel the need to always be in charge and in control. Someone in the know, however, is confident in their own ability and find their team capable of doing the job. Because they are the executive who may be responsible for the end result, they want to be kept in the loop and in the know so that they can confidently speak about the progress of the work when asked. This style of leadership takes a certain level of maturity and confidence in your team. And if you are a good leader, then you have helped cultivate good skills and project management in the members of your team. Parents who have successfully raised their children can be confident about the decisions their children make because they have been well prepared to make them.

Many times when a new leader comes to an area, I hear people erroneously label them a micromanager, simply because they come in asking for a lot of background information and people immediately feel they are being investigated. Well, that’s probably due to their own insecurity. But as my father used to say, “Just keep your nose clean and do your job.”  Know that the new leader is probably gathering intel to help assess the current state of affairs. Your best bet is to be as helpful as possible with getting them acclimated. Once they get the full story, they will start to let those under them continue to do their thing without question.

Have you ever worked for, or even been a micromanager?

Related articles

• Is micromanagement such a bad thing? (coffeeshophr.com)
• Micromanaging (philliphoffman.wordpress.com)
• 4 Signs You’re a Micromanager (staples.com)
• Avoid Micromanaging for Happier Employees (themarketingrobot.com)