We’ve all encountered a micromanager at some point or another. Be it a former job or maybe even a current one, micromanagers are found in every industry and at every level of employment. Micromanagement typically leaves people with a bad taste in their mouth and visions of a boss breathing down the necks of employees may come to mind. This negative connotation associated with the word “micromanagement” is for a good reason – this way of managing kills creativity and stifles alternative ways of thinking that would otherwise be good for business.
Everyone’s Expected to Work the Same
A micromanager as a supervisor can also be nerve-wracking and stressful, as the person in charge has a specific way he or she would like the employee to complete each task. Unfortunately for the micromanager, human workers are not robots and therefore have varying work practices. For example, some people work best first thing in the morning, while others are most productive at the end of the day. If both styles of people get the same work done, then there’s no reason to force the morning worker to do the harder projects at the end of the day, and vice versa, as long as the work is getting finished. This sort of one size fits all work creates a boring and uninspired work environment.
Zero Risk Environment
In order to get better and have a more productive workplace, some level of risk must be taken. Micromanagers are normally the type of manager that would say, “this is how we’ve always done this,” when an employee approaches them with a different idea of completing something. When it comes to conducting business, playing it safe will never lead the company to new or innovative ideas and will continue to suppress creative ideas.
General Feelings of Distrust Grow
Workers that don’t feel like they can contribute, are expected to work the same as every other employee, and feel like they are always being watched will likely grow feelings of distrust for the micromanager because he or she distrusts their employees. The chances that employees will be unsatisfied with their current job will likely increase and the employee’s willingness to work harder to achieve the goals of the company will decrease.
While it may seem like a productive management style to some, micromanaging a group of employees is not a good way to run a workplace because it stifles creativity and hinders any innovation that would otherwise be possible.