How-To-Know-You-Are-A-Micromanager

How To Know You Are A Micromanager

PUBLISHED18 October 2021
WRITTEN BY

No business can afford to be plagued by nitpicky management, yet many keep micromanagers on staff despite their destructive policies and behavior. In reality, micromanagers work hard, take their jobs seriously, and believe they are a valuable member of the team. But unless they learn how to recognise and correct their own blunders, they will continue to undermine company goals and alienate themselves from their coworkers. If you think you might be a micromanager, continue reading.

You work long hours

Micromanagers are usually dedicated and hardworking, but they struggle delegating tasks. Instead of focusing on their own responsibilities, they take on too much extra work. This usually means that they often work overtime and even want to work on their days off just to catch up. If this sounds like you, it might be time to ask yourself why you are doing so much extra work. Are you covering for your employees, or are you working hard trying to fulfill your own responsibilities?

You fall behind company goals

Since nitpicky managers often focus too much on minor tasks, such as making sure every employee masters unimportant procedures, they can easily fail to properly prioritise company goals. Even worse, if they have a hardworking attitude, they can find it incredibly difficult to realise that they are actually being unproductive. Thankfully, any micromanager can avoid repeating these mistakes by prioritising their own responsibilities every day.

You don’t tolerate honest criticism

Veteran employees have a lot of experience mastering the unique challenges of their jobs, and often know how to handle their responsibilities better than management. If you find yourself aggressively dismissing criticism from employees, whether on your performance or policies, you might be a micromanager. While it is true that you are knowledgeable about the specifics of your job, you shouldn’t expect to perfectly understand every business task. Instead of offering unhelpful criticism, focus on giving your employees the freedom and knowledge they need to do their jobs well without intense supervision and scrutiny.

How to stop being a micromanager

Admitting you are a micromanager isn’t always easy, especially if you are an experienced leader. But once you realise how damaging your influence really is, you can take steps to improve your attitudes and decision-making.

If you have a tight grip on your employees, relax. Remember, you are responsible for meeting company goals, and shadowing your employees will only undermine their productivity and prevent you from using your time wisely. Instead, use your time and energy to help each member of your team use their own unique talents to reach company goals on time.

It is also a good idea to schedule routine meetings with management. Not only will this help you better understand the tasks you need to focus on, but it can also give you valuable lessons on how your colleagues get the most from each employee. These are vital for overcoming your tendency to micromanage.

Realising you are a micromanager is the first step toward improving your behavior, but that doesn’t mean it is always easy. Thankfully, you can do it if you are willing to learn how to recognise and correct your own destructive habits.

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