05.21.08

What to do when confronted by a Tiny Tyrant, the Micromanager

Posted in Human Generated Content, Ineffective Management, Insights, Publish Often, SEM/SEO, Sane Management, Uncategorized, business as usual at 1211396106 by Sean Canton

Along with Angry Bosses another irksome facet of the overbearing, anti-humanistic, corporate world is Micromanagement.

For those whose primary reaction to the term micromanagement is in the context of video games, you are fortunate.

Imagine, if you dare, a world where every detail in your work has to be approved by a higher up after the fact before you can continue with a project. How much work are you going to get done, especially with the fluctuating availability of managers with packed schedules? Alas, this is a reality for many talented, intelligent people who are hindered each and every day by micromanagers.

Micromanagement is not a rock in the current of Flow, it is a series of daily dams, each of which completely halt progress.

It stems from several sources, an insecurity about one’s own decisions leading to the necessity of seeing every detail. Experience with workers delivering just enough not to get fired. And, primarily, from an inability to delegate decision-making power to appropriate people.

Dealing with micromanagement is largely a matter of suppressing one’s own concerns and ambitions, and appeasing their need for information. Controlling information is an unfortunate consequence of trying to protect one’s position by preventing self-replication. By holding direct control over every aspect of work, they require constant updates to make sure they’re getting value out of their employees. They won’t say everything upfront, as that’s part of the information control.

Basically, micromanagers are more than willing to exploit the power differential which exists between worker and manager to the point where most of the work being done is talking about work to be done.

Here are some strategies for working with Micromanagers:

When a Project is assigned, you have to pry every detail out of them:

• Get the absolute deadline (3pm friday)
• Get contact info for everyone involved
• Go over, again and again, exactly what they’re looking for
• Mentally highlight roadblocks, ambiguity, and risks.
• Offer your ideas for improvements at this time, later is too late.

During the project:

• Give constant updates about progress, bumps, and roadblocks.
• Ask questions, especially about things which are 99% clear.
• Avoid commiserating with co-workers about micromanager.
• Get approval on status as often as possible.
• Be sure to keep boss accountable for what they say.

Accountability

• Avoid the phone for communication, as there’s no record
• Email or IM every detail you can for approval
• Don’t hesitate to use this information because later….

Risks

• Your hands are tied, because you need feedback to continue, but the boss is unavailable, deadlines looming.
• You are held responsible for mishaps due to miscommunication.
• Without getting approval for your interpretation of their request, you open yourself up for later scrutiny.

Of course, you can read more about Micromanagement. Some interesting/relevant points from the wikipedia entry:

• An emphasis on procedure and efficiency often supersedes ability and quality.
• Change of direction is constant and often in opposing directions.
• Micromanaging through fear destroys employee self-esteem and health.
• Limiting ability prevents growth and learning.
• Ultimately, an employee is better off leaving the situation.

In my own opinion and experience, anyone who promotes ‘their way of being efficient’ as the only way to do things is narrow-minded at best, and completely overbearing at worst.

No joke, I have heard the following incredulous nonsense, directed at a group of people during training.

“I am completely willing to sit over your shoulder and watch you use your computer for three hours so you can be more efficient”.

and

“I can get more done a single day then you can get done in a week!”

…. wow.

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