Business Productivity: 3 Reasons To Avoid Micromanaging

 
Micromanagement is a style of management where the manager closely watches and controls the work done by his or her employees to make sure tasks are done precisely and in accordance with how the higher ups want it done. While this technique may seem logical to those in charge, it is not the ideal way to run a company. Managing well requires delicate skills, which lead to balancing decisions that work best for the overall goals of the company without forgetting that your workers are human. With all of the management methods to use, why is micromanaging a bad idea? Start by looking at these three reasons to avoid micromanaging.

 
Employees are people not machines

Your employees are people, not machines. This means that they come willing to work, but also have all of the personalities and emotions that make up a human being, and tend to work best when they feel that their work is valued rather than up for critique. Rather than crushing their potential with constant looking over their shoulders and criticism when they fall short of high demands, empower them with the skills and confidence they need to get the job done well. Entrepreneur offers suggestions for how to stop micromanaging your team, and explains how employees who feel as if they play an important role in the company tend to work harder and offer valuable contributions.

 
You have lost control

If you don't stop micromanaging, you will be the one overworked. It will lead to your own exhaustion and burn out as a boss. A true leader knows the art of delegating tasks, which means the manager is the one overseeing the work that others complete. This requires trust and skill in knowing who to assign to what job. Keep in mind that your employees were hired because of their qualifications and experience to do the job at hand. So, instead of micromanaging, provide proper training and then step back to oversee their efforts giving praise for achievements and jobs well done.

 
Productivity is lost

When workers fear failure or criticism due to micromanagement of their tasks, it tends to bring productivity to a screeching halt. The reason for this is that for some workers, the fear of being reprimanded for lack of attention to minute details often paralyzes the ability to even get started on the job at hand. For others, knowing that a boss is constantly looking over their shoulders, causes them to not try to achieve higher goals since everything they do is going to be redone or done for them anyway by the micromanager. Others begin to resent it and quit altogether, which means you have to start from scratch at hiring and training.

 
Lighten the load and stress that goes hand-in-hand with micromanaging, and begin to trust your employees to do the job they were hired to do. Truth be told, there are more than three reasons to avoid micromanaging. In the short run, this might mean better training to ensure they are equipped to succeed with their tasks at hand. In the long run, ditching the idea of looking over the shoulder and taking note of every minute detail of the work being done will result in better productivity and employees who are encouraged to go the extra mile instead of feeling crushed under the thumb of micromanagement control.
 

 
This article was written by Tere Scott for CBS Small Business Pulse