If It Ain’t Broke, Don’t Fix It, But If It Is…Micromanage?
What really is micromanagement and why does it seem to be such a filthy word, that many people/businesses want to dissociate themselves from it? Is it micromanaging that is bad, or the way it’s done?- which in turn often signifies a deeper issue…
The Cambridge dictionary defines micromanagement as controlling every part of a situation or project even including the small details…In a way that may not be necessary and may not give enough responsibility to other employees.
The most important issue to consider with micromanagement is the reason behind it. If it is done with an underlying issue of distrust or insecurity on the part of the micromanager, then there are likely to be negative consequences. The truth is, micromanagement is only counterproductive if it is overdone and employed in situations where it really is not needed. For example, if a project/business is going well or if an employee has no track record of needing extra supervision, the micromanaging just gets in the way of progress.
On the other hand, micromanagement can be quite advantageous in certain situations, if deployed effectively. In fact, in certain industries, micromanagement is essential. These industries are usually those where employees have to work under hazardous conditions like mining or those where one wrong move can be a matter of life or death like in the medical field.
Other situations where micromanagement may be effective include:
- When dealing with something ‘NEW’. This could be managing a new person, embarking on a new project or even implementing a new process. It may be quite helpful to offer close supervision on the performance of tasks. This helps to set standards and helps build structural discipline in a company. The expectation is that micromanagement will only last for a while, after which the new employee should be more comfortable with his/her tasks.
- When a person asks lots of questions about their work or has a history of struggling with certain tasks. This tends to indicate that they might be unsure of how to go about a particular task or assignment. In this case, micromanagement will be helpful to set them on the right path and possibly help build their confidence. Again, it is only effective if the micromanagement will not have to continue on forever and will only be used to set a person on track.
- When there is a very critical task at hand. This could be an important contract, proposal or presentation that has the potential to gain or lose the company a significant amount of money. It may be essential to micromanage in this situation, to ensure that nothing is left out of place and every single detail is checked and verified.
- It can be a great diagnostic tool when something has gone wrong with a project or a business. Micromanagement may help identify problematic areas.
Ultimately, the key to achieving success with micromanaging is to ensure that it is done in the right way. The right way involves; Identifying when it’s necessary, ensuring that it is not driven by underlying and unspoken issues and focusing on results. Keeping these in mind when faced with situations where micromanagement is to be employed, might relieve some of the negative connotations that the word ‘micromanagement’ has come to be associated with.
