How to Tell if You're a Micromanager

Being a micromanager isn’t something one sets out to be. Rather, it creeps in unexpectedly like a nervous tick or a Netflix binge. 

Sometimes paying close attention to the decisions of your team is necessary. Maybe the cost of a mistake is so high that you need to be the one accountable. But those moments are pretty rare. What’s more common is that micromanagement is a symptom of something else.

Micromanagement is often fear cleverly disguised as accountability.

Fear. Fear of how the team’s actions reflect on the leader, fear of feedback, or just a general fear of failure. But fear can’t be cured with more oversight. More approvals just mean more fear and less creativity, slower projects, and frustrated teams. Teams have the greatest chance of doing exceptional work only when they’re free to make, and deal with, their decisions. For leaders, this means you still get to assess the work, but usually after it’s too late. A golf swing can’t be corrected in the middle of the swing. You have to wait and see where the ball goes before you decide what needs changing. But that’s the game. You can’t win big without trust and you can’t trust without risk.

Still not sure if you’re a micromanager? Try this.