The Team Can’t Take It Anymore

Micromanagement, by Doc McIntyre

I’ve asked thousands of people to describe their worst boss, and the overwhelming answer is: a micromanager.

People hate to be micromanaged.

Nothing dampens people’s enthusiasm more than a supervisor sticking their nose into the details and second-guessing everything they do.

I know you micromanagers think you’re being helpful by protecting your people and your customers from failure, but you’re not. You’re stunting your team’s growth and enthusiasm.

If you want people to be excited about their work and do great work, let them own it.

I’m not saying you should take your hands off the steering wheel completely, but back off a little. Stay available for consultation, and let people run with it.

Teddy Roosevelt said it best: “The best executive is the one who has sense enough to pick good people to do what he wants them to do, and self-restraint enough to keep from meddling with them while they do it.”

The Team Can’t Take It Anymore

In my career, I spend a lot of time analyzing the dynamics between people at work, identifying patterns, gaps, and opportunities for improvement. Recently, while working with a new customer, I kept hearing complaints about one manager being a micro-manager—employees’ top frustration, as Doc often says.

When I finally met with the manager, I asked his opinion on micro-managers. As expected, he replied, “I hate a micro-manager.” I then asked, “What would you say if I told you several people see you as one?”

After a pause, he denied it but admitted he was “hyper-diligent,” which made me chuckle. As we dug deeper, he shared that about a year ago, his boss had severely reprimanded him over a failed project. His response? Overcompensating with hyper-diligence to avoid criticism.

We worked through his behavior and made progress on shifting him away from micro-managing—or being "hyper-diligent."

If you’re dealing with someone like this, follow Dr. Stephen Covey’s advice: Seek first to understand, then to be understood. Uncover the root cause before addressing the issue. If it’s not rooted in fear or past experiences but in a need for control, you may need to consider a personnel change.

Never sacrifice the team for one individual.

If you haven't read my book, Building a Kick-Ass Culture, click here and check it out. It is full of "how to" steps for building a healthy and dynamic culture.