Fear and the Micromanager
“She’s a micromanager! Fifteen years and she is still looking over my shoulder checking up on me. She still doesn’t trust me!”
Micromanaging? Some say this is a trust issue. That may be what it looks like from the outside. But, inside the micromanager the issue is often plain old-fashioned fear.
The Root – Fear of Failure
Many micromanagers are scared of failure. The idea of something going wrong on their watch prevents them from letting go of the details. They spend all their time in mistake prevention mode instead of proactively leading.
Fear prevents most of us from reaching our potential. A leader who is scared of failure will not only fall short of her own potential, but she will also stifle the potential of everyone on her team.
The micromanager believes that if she knows everything that goes on, she can make sure nothing bad happens. If she can prevent bad things from happening, she believes she is doing her job.
The problem is she is rarely doing her job. She is usually doing other people’s jobs.
The Courage To Let Go
Most leaders know how people should do a job because they did it in the past. It can be very easy in this case to stay involved in the part of the business the leader did well before being promoted.
We must have the Courage to step away and spend time focused on areas where we have not already proven our expertise. We already proved we could do that job. Fear of failing in the other areas can keep us too involved in the areas we know best. We must let go and stop doing the job we were promoted out of.
The Courage To Delegate
When we delegate, we hand over control to others. The idea of other people doing something we believe we can do will turn many of us into micromanagers. The downside of delegating is that someone may accomplish the task in a different way than we would have. What they do might not be wrong, it is just different. We should not act like they are wrong.
When we delegate, we need to have the Courage to let others do it their way. It may not be our way. It may not be the most efficient way the first time they do it either. But, instead of stepping in front of them and taking over, we need to let them gain the experience and coach them so they can learn and grow.
The Courage To Let Others Grow
If we never let my people do things without our help, they will never grow. They will become dependent on us. When we delegate, we are actually doing the job of a leader – developing others.
It may be more efficient for us to do it ourselves in the short term, but in the long term if they never learn, we become the bottleneck that is slowing down our team. If every task or decision needs to be filtered through us, then our fear is bogging us all down.
The Bottom Line:
A micromanager is someone who has allowed her fears to take over. The micromanager becomes more concerned about the processes being done the way she wants them to be done than she is about the growth of the people she is responsible for leading.
It is interesting that we call her a micromanager and not a microleader. Maybe that is because a real leader is not more worried about processes than she is about her people. Maybe it is because a real leader will not allow her fear of failure prevent her from giving others the opportunity to grow.
Maybe it is as simple as a real leader is not controlled by her fears.
Question:
What other character weaknesses create micromanagers?
Listen. Not always a trust issue. Let me tell you about a personal experience. I floated for years as “fill in/staff relief” to different departments, facilities and organizations. Even out of state. I had the basic skills necessary to walk in and hold my own- “wing it” until I gathered more information and oriented myself to the facility and policies, procedures and protocols. You learn through observation as you go through the day. When asking a new co worker questions about what she was doing and reasoning, defenses went up. Ask to work there second day. Gladly. But the moment I walked in- could feel the tension with a couple of coworkers- defenses up. One of them finally snapped by lunchtime and verbally confronted me. She asked “Why are you constantly looking over my shoulder, questioning everything I do? I have been doing this job for years then you walk in and question my way of doing things. I realize you have more experience than I do- I read your resume. But I am a good nurse too”. That answered all my questions! And knew just how to deal with her. I reminded her that even though I was brought in in a supervisory position, “…it does not mean I was sent to spy on you. I also observed the others and I apologize for any misinterpretation, misunderstandings. I see your skills and abilities and even though I am supervising, you need to realize I am the “nubie” here. YOU are the veteran. Who better to orient me and aquainte me with the surroundings, patients, policies, procedures and protocols than you all who HAVE worked here right along. All have their own strengths and weaknesses but from my point of view where one is weak the other is strong-but as a team – really “bring it together”. In the last two days- YOU have given me volumes of valuable information to make me better understand and strengthen my role as supervisor. You have demonstrated strong skills and abilities and your methods serve you well. I have worked in numerous facilities and bring a couple of fresh ideas to the table and would love to share them with you if you wouldn’t mind because it would only enhance your current skills and ability, not hinder them.” We arranged to sit and discuss things. Went wonderfully. Then before the end of the day- the second coworker came to me and asked my advice on a matter. A supervisor also needs to learn and grow and is also a valuable member of “the team”. At least this is the way THEY SHOULD view their position. Will only strengthen and enhance their skills and abilities as supervisor.
Sounds like a touchy situation in that department and you handled it well.
Nice post, Dave! And thank you, Deb for sharing a great example of open communication and leadership in motion.
From my perspective, a big consideration re micromanagement has to do with the patterns learned from our childhood managers, i.e. parents. We experience these early strategies in a profound way and they become part of our reactions, communication and management strategies. We utilize the patterns unconsciously (lack of trust may be a component of the pattern) — especially in stressful situations.
For many micromanagers the path to change lies in recognizing the old, controlling habits so they can step out of them and lead with a more satisfying and effective leadership style.
Great point! If I am a hovering parent who micromanages my kids homework and everything else, what am I creating? And why am I doing that? Is that fear based as well?