A common misconception about micromanagers is that they are condescending, bad tempered, and inherently nasty individuals. The truth is most micromanagers have the best intentions for the team but have developed poor habits, resulting in micromanaging tactics.
Here are the telltale sings of micromanager -
- Obsessed with wanting to know everything – Rather than provide clear expectations and trust that employees will do what is expected of them, micromanagers require constant updates even on small tasks, want access to everything and check in multiple times asking for the same information that has already been provided.
- Micro-Managers are fearful of losing control – A Micro- Manager does not share expectations, demands are made without context, little support or guidance is offered and therefore leading to unnecessary stress. Rather than giving employees ownership to make decisions, Micro-Managers required that each decision be first approved by them.
- They believe they know better – and they are smarter than everyone else in the room. Micro-manager’s always have a need to have the last word, this creates a fear-based environment where employees refrain from speaking up when in reality each person has different experiences, opinions, perspectives and ideas which means every employee on a team has something valuable to contribute. It is important to note that some Micro-managers do not have the emotional intelligence and self-awareness to mend their ways.
- These managers have the tendency to “take over” tasks to demonstrate the correct method. Even when micro-managers assign responsibilities, employees usually must obtain approval before moving to the next stage.
- Micro – managers over explain everything, detailing every step. The intention is to be thorough, yet it often has the opposite effect.
- They call unnecessary and constant meetings that go beyond short daily huddles – where they do all the talking, attendance is usually mandatory, and the manager will interrogate employees who do not show up. Micro-managers are also more likely to misuse “employee monitoring software” and time tracking software to keep a close watch on a team member.
- Positions self as sole point of contact - Micro-managers do not encourage you to reach out to their bosses or other departments and may interfere in these interactions. Even if organizational etiquette does often dictate certain standards in terms of communications between levels – Micro-managers further put restrictions and unnecessary roadblocks.
- Its always my way or the highway approach- Micro-managers tend to have a do as I say, not as I do mentality. They do not model the behaviour they expect, yet they believe their opinion is always right. They do not want to hear anyone else’s ideas or try something new even if their way is not working.
- Micro-managers redo your work gloss over this behaviour by calling it perfectionism or high performance when it actually is a form of control. Research shows that micro-management creates a dependent relationship wherein employees cannot function independently without the meddling of their micro-manager boss.