Is George a Micromanager?
Is George a Micromanager?
I. A manager is someone who is responsible for directing a business and making sure a certain quantity of work is done. That quantity of work is greater in quantity and scope than can be done by one person alone. To accomplish this, the manager must:
A. Delegate responsibility to direct reports, recognizes that there is more than one way to accomplish a task and allows them to have the influence and autonomy to complete the task
C. Require direct reports to do their own work and not jump in and give assistance unless help is needed to solve a difficult problem
D. Identify Performance issues if a direct report has repeated problems completing their tasks it is necessary to either retrain or replace that individual
II. A micromanager is someone who exerts more control in a business situation than is necessary. The signs that a manager is micromanaging their staff are:
A. Does not give their direct reports sufficient autonomy to complete their tasks by themselves
B. Gives instructions to, or comments on the work of direct reports team members
C. Performs the job of the direct reports or jumps in to give assistance first letting the direct report solve their own problems
D. Offers minimal incremental value (ie. typos) or requires approval for things within direct reports decision making authority
E. Fails to identify real performance remains stuck in a pattern of completing and analyzing a direct reports work product rather than addressing the root issues and either retraining or replacing the direct report
III. Facts
A. George was hired to turn Retronics around
B. He brought in some important business
C. In 16 months revenues had not rebounded enough
D. The board feels sales talent is not working up to potential
E. Shelly has original ideas but he rejects them because they are not the way he would do things
F. George also finds errors like typos in a final draft of Shelly
G. Rich feels that “hands on isn’t the beginning of it, He’s elbow deep in the stuff.”
H. George helped Rich solve a problem by finding code and some “other stuff”
I. George also jumps in and tries to solve his children’s problems before they ask for help.
IV. - Support Data
A. George is stressed
B. Shelly is stressed
C. George thinks Shelly needs more training
D. Shelly thinks George is micromanaging
E. George is jumping in before his staff asks for help.
V. - Problems/Opportunities (that come from these Key issues)
A. Increased stress on all levels
B. Insufficient work is completed
C. Work completed lacks the diversity and quality that could be obtained by granting more autonomy to direct reports
D. Performance issues are not identified because direct reports are not allowed to succeed or fail on their own
E. Team members lose respect for the direct report team leader
VI. Select best 2-3 solutions
A. A proceedure can be developed to allow direct reports the opportunity to request help when they need it.
a) This would give them the autonomy to complete the task on their own
b) Performance issues could be identified
c) Management would be free to address other issues
B. All issues should be discussed with the team leader and passed down through the chain of command
a) This would increase respect from the team for their leader
b) This would insure that the whole team had equal information and were all working together
c) Management would not have to spend time repeating the same information to more than one person
- How does this case/article apply to chapter or topic of study
1. Management
VII. How does this apply to the topic of study?
A. Management is making sure a certain quantity and quality of work gets done.
1. Micromanagement interferes with the amount of work that can be completed
2. Micromanagement reduces the quality of work that is done
2. Leadership
B. Leadership is providing direction to a team
1. Micromanagement drives rather than directs a team
2. Micromanagement prevents full individual participation in a team by usurping some members ability to fully participate
VIII. - Personal learning outcome
A. Identify the difference between management and micromanagement
B. Identify the problems associated with micromanagement
C. Identify the solutions that can be implemented by the micromanager
IX. - Recommendations
A. Establish procedures and policies so issues can be addressed with the manager when needed
One Discussion Question
How can a manager identify a performance issue without becoming a micromanager or letting the direct report fail on an important task?
References
All Business, A D & B Company. "The Dangers of Being a Micromanager." All Business. http://www.allbusiness.com/human-resources/employee-development-leadership/11235-1.html (accessed 01 31, 2012).
"Confessions of a Micromanager." Organizational Realities. 2011. http://www.transassoc.com/org-real-micromanagement/ (accessed 01 31, 2012).
