• Home
• About / Bio
• Book Michelle
• Contact
• Glossary

Is Micromanagement Inherent or Contexual?

By Michelle Malay Carter on September 27, 2007 

Chuck at I Hate Your Job had this to say about micromanagement:

Have you ever stopped to consider why some bosses seem to be in love with micromanaging their employees? If so, then here?s your answer: They are incapable of managing in any other way.

I offer that one person’s micromanager is another’s dream boss. What we want and need most from a boss is context – someone who can paint a bigger picture for us than we can paint for ourselves. Someone who adds value to our thinking.

Problem Solving Capability Occurs in Discreet Levels
We all have the capacity for problem solving, and it matures over our lives. (This is a separate factor from temperament, knowledge, skills and experience) What isn’t common knowledge is that problem solving capability occurs in discrete levels. So if I have current problem solving capability at level 2, the perfect boss for me will have problem solving capability at level 3. However, if my peer reporting to that same boss, has problem solving capability at level 3, the same level as our boss, my peer will experience our mutual boss as a no-value-added manager, a micromanager.

The People Aren’t the Problem
There is no inherent problem with the boss; there is no inherent problem with my peer; there is no inherent problem with me. The problem lies in our being unaware of levels of problem solving capability and it’s critical impact upon working relationships.

It’s About Design!!
Instead of structuring organizations to align with this natural phenomenon, well meaning people – HR, OD folks and managers alike – plow massive amounts of time and energy trying to fix those bad, bad people via training and coaching. Micromanagers just need to learn to delegate — send them to delegation training.

Have You Been Called Names at Work?
I venture to guess young Chuck might have been seen as a bad, bad employee during his short stint in the corporate world. Possibly arrogant, impatient, showy. This would be a symptom of high levels of problem solving capability at a young age. It can be off-putting to those older managers who are more experienced and who have “paid their dues” but whose knowledge and skills are bounded by a less complex ability to manage information.

I’m OK. You’re OK. Let’s fix the system.

Filed Under Employee Engagement, High Potential, Managerial Leadership, Organization Design, Requisite Organization

Comments