Examples of Micromanaging
First, let’s talk about what micromanaging is not. Managers who micromanage rarely hold animosity or ill will toward the employees they manage. They do not abuse their employees with unprompted negative reviews or resort to public ridicule. Most managers who micromanage don’t even realize they’re doing it because it looks innocent, like this…
Reluctantly, a manager assigns an employee a project. A day or two later, the manager asks for a progress report. They aren’t happy with an “it’s going fine.” They need to know everything done up to that point. The employee spends additional time going over their work and the manager allows the project to continue.
The manager, not happy though with the specific way the employee is working, asks to be CC’d on all future communications involving the project. When a decision needs to be made, the manager steps in and insists on being the one to make it. When the project is completed, the manager reviews the work and corrects the mistakes without sharing their changes or solutions with the employee.
The above demonstrate some examples of micromanaging and next we’ll identify why this practice has mostly negative effect on employee motivation and engagement.
Is Micromanaging a Problem?
Yes; micromanaging in the workplace is definitely problematic in the way it makes employees feel and how it impacts their performance.