Micromanaging is a dirty job; but someone has to do it
I recently started a new chapter in my career where I manage a whole team of people. I didn’t pick them, neither they picked me; we ended up working together, because destiny (or upper management) decided our fate. I started my “manager” career about 10 years ago as a record store assistant manager when I was still in college, and though working on schedules, and listen to teen agers complain about… -well, everything ( not an easy job), it’s nothing compared to my work day now, ten years later.
I used to hate my previous managers looking over my shoulder and asking the same question over and over, and promised myself that I wouldn’t be like that. Oh naïve me, making promises I can’t keep. Truth is that as awful as micromanaging may be, there are some times when you don’t have the right people on your team In those situations it is not only necessary but mandatory.
In some cases, when I do not have the right person on my team, I find myself asking for status reports daily, walking to his/her cube to ask the same question I asked yesterday (to receive the same disappointing answer), and sending emails to people 10 feet away from me, because I know I will also be micromanaged when my subordinate doesn’t complete the task on time.
On those situations, I can hear my brother saying “Just fire that person, and get yourself a good team you can rely on”, If only. That is in fact the best solution to the problem, allocate the resources where they belong, and someone who proves no use in your team, shouldn’t be in it. As great as a solution as that may be, and as much as the devil on my shoulder is cheering for the productivity team, the stupid, naïve angel on the other side, reminds me of my over shadowed humane side, that thinks of their families and their well being; darn angel.
In the end, to be a good manager is a two tier mission, you don’t only have to be productive, but be productive with the team handed to you, and it is in the definition of your title as manager to well, MANAGE the people working with you.
My point is that Micromanaging is not only annoying to the managed, but also to the manager. It is fear what motivates this behavior, and it can, and should be avoided. It may not always be possible, and there is an enormous chance that changes may have to be made in any team in order to accommodate my annoying need to show dramatic success, but micromanaging may not be the answer. If I learned something at my last position is that people work for whatever motivates them. For me is money and the ability to turn my ideas into action; I just need to find what is that motivation factor for my team, and put it in front of them; let’s make them chase the proverbial carrot on the fishing rod; and micromanage the living hell out of them meanwhile.
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