Micromanaging – Not Always a Bad Management Strategy

I can’t believe I just wrote these words!  After preaching for years that micromanaging staff drives people from the organization, I am now going to tell you that sometimes it is exactly what you need to do?  Well, here goes…

We usually focus on how to empower employees so that they can learn and grow but what about the times when you as a manager, need to be more closely involved in their work? What kind of balance is needed so you are sure the work is being done without stifling their creativity or enthusiasm?

Here’s an example of when you might need to be more of a micromanager—your organization is going through a huge change initiative. You’re changing strategy or going into new markets or adding a new and very different service or product.  Managers need to provide close direction until everyone involved gets where you’re headed and why.

Major organizational changes can upset even your most seasoned employee. People who are comfortable with their work and who you can almost read your mind and not need much of your oversight in normal situations, suddenly require much more of your expertise and your time so be available to them and yes, micromanage them until such time as they’re ready to step out without so much supervision.

Another example of when you need to micromanage is when a formerly excellent employee starts having trouble completing projects or misses major deadlines. You need to keep a close watch on that person’s work so that things don’t get to far out of hand. Remember, it’s your job to keep your employees on track—even when they’ve been productive in the past. 

You should step in and do your best to get things going the right direction but also take the time to counsel your employee. You may find out they have a serious health issue or problems at home that are taking them off their game. Whatever the reason is for their performance issues, you need to make sure the work gets done in a timely manner and at the highest quality level.

Consider a situation where your major client isn’t happy with the level of service they’re receiving. If this isn’t a time for micromanaging, I don’t know when it would be! You need to get right into the situation and resolve it as quickly as possible and if that means you have to be a micromanager, so be it.

After you’ve hopefully restored your organization’s relationship with the client, then find out what else you need to do to keep productivity as high as possible.

Be careful not to stay in micromanagement mode too long or you will de-motivate your team. Once the situation is resolved, we hope you can return to your supportive, coaching style. If, however, you find yourself enjoying being a micromanager when you don’t need to be, ask a trusted advisor or mentor for help.

Bottom line—short term micromanaging can be a good thing—just don’t let it be your preferred style or you may find yourself either needing to replace good employees who leave you or looking for a new job yourself!

The Gift of Rain

I sat in the green tunnel shaped by the trees in my yard, under the cover of a deck awning listening to the sounds of the rain and the birds. The rain brought a fresh smell. The birds were frolicking among the tree branches and rain drops. I’d catch a glimpse of one opening its beak and drinking in the fresh water – just like I was drinking in the tranquility of the moment.

Rain – it brings the water that sustains all living things – humans, birds, other animals and plants – plants that feed us all and allow us to thrive. A Native American man in the Southwest, where rain and water are scarce, once told me how his culture celebrated the rain when it came because rain is the source of life. 

A farmer I know once wrote that February is the month of the plow if you’re a farmer who tills the soil. Even though there is still a bit of freezing left to be done, plowed land benefits from the freezing and thawing action.  Even better is the opportunity to plow in fresh snow which has the effect of fertilizer on the land. The gift of rain – it keeps giving and helping the Earth to thrive.

Agriculture, like any other business enterprise, is challenged with issues of nurturing and sustaining resources so the business and the people who depend on it can grow and thrive. My farmer friend often writes about organic agriculture – addressing the current trend and requests for organically grown food – meat and vegetables. He laments that organic agriculture takes more time and more people, and the community of people he grew up with in the field are all gone. He has no one to pass his knowledge to. Of the many interns he has had, only one went on to farm on their own – the rest went on to work behind a desk which speaks to the actual education they received. Like any industry, good agriculture needs good people – people who understand the role that nature plays.  

Developing people so they can help a business thrive is a challenge faced by every industry. It’s such an important topic, that we devoted not a chapter, but an entire section to it in The Big Book of HR. The first step in employee development should be assessing employee development needs. This can be done through a number of methods, such as reviewing prior performance appraisals or conducting interviews and focus groups to name just a few. Next we discuss the best approaches for employee development. We explore various training approaches, mentoring, and other development methods. Coaching is so critical to employee development that we devoted an entire chapter to this topic. Finally, in our latest revised and expanded edition, we explore the emerging trends in performance management so organizations can design programs that meet their needs. 

Many of us are so fortunate to have grown in professional communities where we were surrounded with great mentors, like my farmer friend. We understand the role that people play in organizations. We need to pass that wisdom along!