Time Management Tip: Stop Micro-Managing Employees
If I was a fly on the wall what would I hear your employees say? Would it something like this? "They won't allow me to make even the simplest decisions." "The red tape here makes it very difficult for me to do my job." "Management has to sign off on everything; they don't trust me."
A big time waster for managers is micro-managing - paying extreme attention to small details and not giving people the authority to do their job. If it is such a time waster why do so many managers get hooked into micro-managing? Here are some reasons.
Top down mirroring. The CEO or President micro-manages his or her direct staff. The staff then unconsciously adopts the same management style with their direct reports. The practice spreads, or 'mirrors' itself, and becomes part of the culture.
Fear. In today's difficult economy, managers live in perpetual fear that their department better produce or else. This fear drives them to micro-manage, rather than trust their employees to make the appropriate decisions.
A wrong belief. Many managers think success is based on amassing as much power as possible. They therefore do not allow their employees to make decisions by themselves because that would be giving up their own power. However, the more management allows employees to make decisions, the more powerful the entire organization will be.
Here's what can be done to influence managers to focus their time, energy and resources on the important tasks of managing - getting work down by and through others.
Many managers often know in their heart of hearts that they are micro managing. Yet they find it difficult to change old habits. Great leaders are consummate learners and are willing to take risks and try new approaches.
Marcia Zidle, the 'people smarts' coach, works with business leaders to quickly solve their people management headaches so they can concentrate on their #1 job to grow and increase profits. She offers free help through Leadership Briefing, a weekly e-newsletter with practical tips on leadership style, employee motivation, recruitment and retention and relationship management. Subscribe by going to http://leadershiphooks.com/ and get the bonus report "61 Leadership Time Savers and Life Savers". Marcia is the author of the What Really Works Handbooks resources for managers on the front line and the Power-by-the-Hour programs fast, convenient, real life, affordable courses for leadership and staff development. She is available for media interviews, conference presentations and panel discussions on the hottest issues affecting the workplace today. Contact Marcia at 800-971-7619.
Latest News
Lehman Deal Spins Off Part of Private Equity Unit Into Independent ... New York Times, United States - Under the deal, the private equity firm’s current management, led by Charles Ayres, will purchase the firm’s most recent fund — a $3.3 billion pool of ... Lehman Said to Weigh Sale of Merchant-Banking Fund to Managers Lehman to spin out private equity arm: WSJ South African billionaire to invest in Lehman buyout arm |
![]() Globe and Mail | Wal-Mart disappoints analysts, Walgreen chops management team Bizjournals.com, NC - (NYSE:WAG) announced plans to offer early retirement and severance programs to some 1000 corporate and field management employees, or 9 percent of those ... Video: Jan 8: Stocks Boosted by Mortgage Deal Retailers report dismal December sales Wal-Mart’s Bleak December May Herald More Pain in ‘09 |
Information Builders Partners With Tagetik to Deliver Corporate ... MSNBC - "Customers often require two solutions, an executive dashboard and an operational system to manage their performance management requirements," said Gerald ... |
![]() WNCT | Walgreen will cut 1000 management jobs in 2009 The Associated Press - NEW YORK (AP) — Drugstore operator Walgreen Co. said Thursday it will cut 1000 jobs by mid-year, or about 9 percent of corporate management, through a ... Walgreen to cut about 1000 corporate and field management jobs Walgreens Announces Reduction in Corporate and Field Management ... Walgreens to cut 1000 salaried posts |
Search Engine Optimization Inc. Announces New Addition to Senior ... MSNBC - "We are very fortunate to have Ed join our senior management team," said Garry Grant, CEO of SEO Inc. "Ed has the ideal blend of leadership, ... |
Z-Wave Alliance Showcases Brand-New Energy Management, Home ... MSNBC - Alliance member companies will showcase for the first time new, affordable energy management, home security and home control solutions in the Alliance booth ... |
Uptown men's shelter will stay open under new management Chicago Tribune, United States - Johnson declined to elaborate on the funding and management changes, but said, "We are very satisfied with the outcome of what has happened. ... |
Brookfield Asset Management 2008 Year End Conference Call ... MSNBC - You are invited to participate in Brookfield Asset Management's 2008 Year End Conference Call & Webcast on Friday, February 13, 2009 at 11:00 am (ET) to ... Brookfield Infrastructure Partners LP 2008 Year End Conference ... |
Gary Berntsen Thinks CIA Needs 'Leadership Not Management' FOXNews - CIA COVERT OFFICER : Actually, we need leadership, not management at CIA. That person who's going to be in charge of CIA is in charge of our fight, ... Video: Analyst Weighs in on Obama's CIA Pick Obama's intel picks short on direct experience Obama Is Under Fire Over Panetta Selection |
Microsoft Touts Power Management in Windows 7 Redmond Channel Partner, CA - Improved power management got briefly mentioned among the expected benefits of Windows 7 on Wednesday at the Consumer Electronics Show. ... Hacking Windows 7 beta problems Microsoft releases Windows Server 2008 R2 beta Windows 7 Server Beta – Exclusively 64-bit to Support 256 Logical ... |
Resources
-
AdWords | Google AdWords | 21 Ways to Maximize ROI by Andrew Goodman
Get the original Google AdWords handbook by Andrew Goodman. This 155-page e-book is packed with advanced tips to help you maximize your AdWords campaigns. Download and get free December 2005 update.
-
Reservation software for Hotels, Motels, Bed and breakfast
Reservation software for Hotels, Motels, Bed and breakfast
-
Restaurant Checklists: restaurant menu design, cafe training, business plans, restaurant marketing a
Full package of restaurant information including restaurant menu design, training, restaurant business plans, restaurant marketing and Management forms and templates
-
Castlemelody.com: Web design and creative design of graphics
Web design with content Management system for dynamic and flexible websites.
-
...MySoftwareTemplates.com high-quality Microsoft Word templates for Software
Development, Proposal
Write successful Proposals, White Papers, Case Studies with slick templates, checklist and forms.
-
Living Within Your Means - The Easy Way!
"
-
PARENTING TOOLS to design the family of your dreams! What does your dream family look like?
Powerful tools for parenting, anger Management, and creative blocks!
-
Productivity. Improve business productivity through work measurement and method study.
Set of resources to improve worker, workplace and office productivity. Learn to measure productivity, calculate a productivity index and construct a total factor productivity index. Resources include team productivity and employee productivity.
-
Construction Information Services - Construction Management
Construction Information Services include Construction Management ebooks - Construction Software - Articles - Firm directories - Forecasting and Trends of the building industry
-
Landlord Property Management Rental Guide
Looking to manage your own rental property? Use our beginners guide for landlords and rental property investors!

