Are You A Micromanager? If this is a question you have ever asked yourself, chances are you are micromanaging your staff and/or vendors. When you micromanage you negate the skills and experience your staff bring to the table and you reduce the productivity of everyone involved.
How can you tell if you’re a micromanager? Here are some signs to look out for:
- You delegate tasks BUT you tell the person who’s been assigned the task the best way to do it — which is usually your way.
- You believe that the way you approach a task is the best — and possibly — only way to do it.
- You worry your staff won’t meet deadlines if you aren’t fully involved.
- You frequently criticize their efforts.
- You continually provide unsolicited advice and offer limited praise.
Are you a micromanager?
Do you see yourself and your leadership style in any, or all, of these items? If so, you need to look at why you feel the need to micromanage. Are you unsure of your role? Have you made “bad” hires and now you’re worried they won’t perform the tasks for which they were hired? If so, you need to look at your hiring practices.
If you’re simply “wired” to be a micromanager you need to train yourself to let it go and let your staff perform their duties. If you’re continually micromanaging and doing their work for them, why are you paying them? If you feel they are performing up to par, but maybe missing a few key pieces of the entire picture, share that missing piece with them and let them loose.
Recognize that micromanaging leads to a stressful work situation for you and your staff. The stress could even bleed over into customer interactions. Talk with the team, tell them what worries you about their performance, let them share with you where they feel they need your assistance, then let them go and do the work for which they were hired.