Some thoughts on a question I was asked recently:
“I’ve been accused of being a micromanager – of micro-managing, so I back off. When I do this, there are things not getting done that need to or things getting messed up that I have to fix. I don’t want to micromanage but what do I do?” As a manager, it is our responsibility to ensure the competency level of a staff member to be able to execute and perform tasks as assigned. Until someone has demonstrated their ability to perform well, they need support and oversight.
This often can be mistaken as micromanaging, especially if we haven’t totally accepted our role as a mentor. If we come off as harshly scrutinizing and controlling, we’ll probably get tagged as being a micromanager.
However,
if we take a consistent and understanding approach to mentoring, a guiding hand so to speak, things will go a little smoother. If we’ve done our job well and the staff member has demonstrated competency and willingness to learn, then it’s time to back off gradually as their demonstrated ability grows.
This “accepting being a mentor” is the key. Knowing that the staff person we are mentoring may not quite see the full nature of our responsibilities to keep things steady and meeting expectations. Let’s remember that a nervous and unsure staff member might take that tension and accuse a well-meaning manager of being a micromanager.
So often, part of our job is realizing that accusations that are coming our way by staff exist for a variety of reasons. It is helpful to touch base within ourselves to navigate these unpleasant moments with understanding, compassion, and relying on what is reasonable. Instead of backing off.
Leading and guiding is not a path of conflict. If it is portrayed as such by a staff member, chances are you’re dealing with a person who is struggling in accepting the terms of their employment. Good to know and this is where the steady and firm part of our job really comes into play.
Micromanaging is a word that can get misused and can be quite effective as an accusation the more undefined and vague it is. Let’s make sure we self- inspect, strive for clarity, and move forth navigating these kinds of complexities with connection, compassion, and mentoring. Stephanie