Signs of a Micromanager
Due to the competitive nature of business, many employers may resort to micromanaging to ensure that their businesses are operating effectively. The tendency to micromanage depends on the personality of the employer and his view of employees. Many managers may not feel as if they are micromanagers; however, there are many signs that reveal whether an employer is behaving as a micromanager.
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Constantly Watching
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Micromanagers constantly watch the behavior of their employees to either point out mistakes or pressure the employees to do only what they approve. Micromanagers are more apt to request reports after each decision and ask employees about each decision that is being made. For example, a food service worker would have to consult a micromanager about how to handle each customer complaint instead of the manager trusting the ability and judgment of the employee. The micromanager feels that his method of doing business is the best and only way, therefore he enforces this belief by imposing it on his employees.
Blame
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Many micromanagers fail to see fault in themselves, therefore if an issue arises within the business, the micromanager usually blames the employees. Micromanagers usually underappreciate their employees and feel that they could do a better job. The micromanager enjoys keeping employees on alert and therefore will usually punish employees more than praise them. Even if there is not an issue, micromanagers may blame employees for imagined issues. This instills fear in employees and gives a micromanager more authority and control of the workplace.
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Anxiety
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Micromanagers are often filled with anxiety and fear of failure. Micromanagers may not have the tools to cope with the stress of managing an organization or business. The fear of failure incites micromanagers to watch over every action of their employees, aiming for their idea of perfect. Micromanagers also may feel intense anxiety in having to trust in people. To avoid having to trust employees, micromanagers feel more comfortable intimidating employees and are less willing to delegate tasks.
Lack of Growth
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Growth of a business and its employees are deeply compromised due to micromanagers. Micromanagers often desire to suppress the independence, original ideas and innovation of the employees, which results in a stagnant business environment. Micromanaging lowers the morale of employees, causing them to question their abilities and reducing their desire to take initiative. Micromanaging also lowers productivity due to employee indecision. The lack of opportunities to design solutions can result in a crumbling, one-dimensional business.
Poor Work Environment
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Tension between employees who get along with the micromanager and those who do not creates a negative work environment. Employees may attempt to get the edge on other employees by behaving in the same manner as the micromanager and by giving reports to the micromanagers on what other employees are doing. In addition to employee conflict, micromanaging can cause a high rate of employee turnover.
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References
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