Micromanagement is when you hire smart, creative people for your company and then crush their souls.
First by telling them what font to use and then by questioning why their bathroom break was 1.5 minutes longer than usual.
(This wasn’t me — I knew a guy)
If we understand that micromanaging doesn’t work well, why do we still do it?
Is it because my understanding is incorrect, or is it that we prefer to hire people who lack enthusiasm and creativity?
Stay with me here!
Using myself as an example.
??? I get hired into an organization
??? I start at the very bottom.
??? I work really hard.
??? I get rewarded.
??? How?
??? With more work of course.
??? I am crushing it!
??? I get promoted.
??? Congratulations — I am a manager.
??? I’m still doing the work and managing five other humans.
??? I am crushing that too!
??? Guess what happens?
??? I start managing the people who manage the people doing the work, and it’s at that point in time, I start losing control over the output of my job.