NOT a Micromanager
I don't like micromanagement. I had a conversation with an old friend of mine I ran into at Bistro 33. We came from some familiar stomping grounds together. I've known her for years. Anyway the discussion turned to micromanagement. Some people don't truly understand the difference between true leadership and being a micro-manager. Micromanagement is actually time consuming and in many ways very unproductive.
Here is my credo: hire the right people, put them in the right jobs, and trust them.
If you can't trust your people to do the job (after proper training, of course) then you shouldn't have hired those people. Micro-managers are not effective. People typically want to work (if you hired the right ones), and they often enjoy the responsibility.
If you feel the "need" to sit down and look over your employee's shoulder (an employee doing a good job) then my question to you is, "What is wrong with you?" Answer the inner questions, "Do you feel the need to try and control them?" "Are you maybe on a power trip?" Do you micromanage because ... you CAN?
This gal was explaining her situation. Her manager was telling her essentially go here, sell this, do this, and do it my way. She is a very competent manager herself. I was surprised, because after working around her I could tell you with all confidence, she's a cracker-jack pro. She knows her business. When her manager started telling how to do every details of "her" job she started losing business. A competent, knowledgeable employee doesn't need to be directed and told how to spend every minute of every day. Telling an employee how to do his/her job in such specific details should only be reserved for entry-level beginners -- and even then give them a chance to put the job in action.
All this kind of management serves to do is drive out perfectly good workers. We're all adults, right? Do you think an adult wants to be directed around like a five-year-old? Told how and what to do with every minute of every day? Do you think morale is served this way? Do you think this employee might want to quit? The very last thing that drove me (thank goodness) out of corporate was a micro-manager and all (excuse my explicitness) the BS that came with her power trip.
Bottom line: leaders lead and leave competent people to do their jobs. Micro-managers teach finger painting to perfectly competent adults. Leaders retain workers. Micro-manager drive them out.
Here is my credo: hire the right people, put them in the right jobs, and trust them.
If you can't trust your people to do the job (after proper training, of course) then you shouldn't have hired those people. Micro-managers are not effective. People typically want to work (if you hired the right ones), and they often enjoy the responsibility.
If you feel the "need" to sit down and look over your employee's shoulder (an employee doing a good job) then my question to you is, "What is wrong with you?" Answer the inner questions, "Do you feel the need to try and control them?" "Are you maybe on a power trip?" Do you micromanage because ... you CAN?
This gal was explaining her situation. Her manager was telling her essentially go here, sell this, do this, and do it my way. She is a very competent manager herself. I was surprised, because after working around her I could tell you with all confidence, she's a cracker-jack pro. She knows her business. When her manager started telling how to do every details of "her" job she started losing business. A competent, knowledgeable employee doesn't need to be directed and told how to spend every minute of every day. Telling an employee how to do his/her job in such specific details should only be reserved for entry-level beginners -- and even then give them a chance to put the job in action.
All this kind of management serves to do is drive out perfectly good workers. We're all adults, right? Do you think an adult wants to be directed around like a five-year-old? Told how and what to do with every minute of every day? Do you think morale is served this way? Do you think this employee might want to quit? The very last thing that drove me (thank goodness) out of corporate was a micro-manager and all (excuse my explicitness) the BS that came with her power trip.
Bottom line: leaders lead and leave competent people to do their jobs. Micro-managers teach finger painting to perfectly competent adults. Leaders retain workers. Micro-manager drive them out.
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