How to Avoid becoming a Micromanager

People working in management positions across the country are always looking for ways to make their mark as managers, sometimes going too far during the process. One thing managers mistake when leading a department is that they think they must put their own personal stamp on each project performed by the department. This is the definition, a loose one, of a micromanager. A micromanager is someone who must scrutinize all aspects of the department and control what all of the employees in the department are doing during the day. The reason for this is a lack of work done by the employees or an overdeveloped ego on the part of the manager.

In an effort to obtain high standards, most micromanagers will be involved in each step of a project his or her department is in charge of completing. In almost all instances, this managing style does not work in the best interest of everyone involved. Employees will become discouraged with their jobs when they are micromanaged and the person performing the micromanaging is hurting his or her own career options. It can be very difficult to advance through the company when you are performing work that should be handled by others.

Listed below are four major signs that could help you notice when employees are being micromanaged in your office. Most of your employees will not tell you they are being micromanaged, so look for these signs often:

The first sign is that the employees are very slow when it comes to producing work. “Usually this is because they’re so nervous about making a mistake, hearing about how they’re doing it wrong or hearing lots of unwarranted directions that they don’t need,” says Rebecca Weingarten, the president of DLC Executive Coaching and Consulting in New York.

The second sign is that the employees will not participate in meetings and if they do, they tend to push back with snide comments and remarks. “It’s a bad sign if you’re the only one talking,” says Joy Ruhmann, the president of Level Up Leadership in Raleigh, North Carolina.

The third sign is that the employees are viewed as being overly dependent on the management staff. The employees will constantly seek the advice of management and will not arrive at their own solutions because their solutions are questioned by the management staff.

The fourth sign is that micromanaged employees will produce poor results more often. “Work product becomes worse and worse as a result of your team giving up, knowing you will change their work no matter how much effort they put forth,” says Halley Bock, the CEO of Fierce Inc. in Seattle.

Described below are some tips for managers who are recovering from micromanaging habits on how to run the department.

Submit as much feedback to the employees working under you as possible. “Talk to your employees about your management style,” Bock advises. “Ask them, ‘Do you feel like you could handle these types of tasks on your own?’ If so, give them more freedom moving forward.”

Make sure the employees working for you understand what your standards are. “Identify your needs and the needs of the business or project, be candid about them and then leave it up to your employee to follow through,” Bock says.

Employees will be able to take ownership of their actions if they are given room to maneuver when working on a project.