Micromanaging may lower productivity in long run

By Anita Bruzzese

Your boss is driving you crazy.

He has to be right all the time. He blames others when things go wrong and won't rest until someone is punished. He hovers over everyone all the time, constantly correcting them, always insisting no decisions be made without his approval.

Welcome to the demonic world of the micromanager.

"A micromanager is someone who takes legitimate managerial behavior to excess — and the excess is interference with people and their ability to do their jobs," says Harry Chambers, a performance improvement specialist.

Sort of a nice way of saying annoying, controlling nitwits are driving us bonkers.

"These micromanagers actually become bottlenecks in the workplace. Frustration sets in — even with the most competent performers in the workplace — because they can't take the initiative to get anything done because the micromanager requires excess approvals," Chambers says.

"The micromanager will punish mistakes, and you will not only have to pay for a mistake, you'll have to eat it. So, people learn to hide mistakes, and they learn not to take risks."

Not exactly a solid business philosophy, because the American workplace has always relied on innovation and initiative for its success.

Add that to the fact that micromanagers truly don't want to be bothered with anyone else's feelings or concerns, and it's no wonder that employees head for the exits when confronted with this kind of management style.

Still, it's interesting to note that Chambers' research for his book, "My Way or the Highway" (Berrett-Koehler, $16.95) found that most micromanagers do not consider themselves to be micromanagers, but simply perform the way they believe the company desires.

At the same time, many employees who believe they are being micromanaged aren't really, but have merely latched onto the term as a way of trashing a boss they don't like or agree with.

Still, research shows that a majority of workers have reported working for micromanagers, and say it adversely impacts their productivity and morale.

Further, it's important to note that both managers and nonmanagers report having to deal with micromanagement, and most micromanagers got that way because they were never taught differently — not because evil aliens dropped them on Earth to torture workers.

"We've got to train people to do it differently, if we want to change the micromanager," Chambers says. "And we've got to change how we react to them — some people actually encourage others to be micromanagers."

How can you learn to deal effectively with a micromanager? Chambers says you should:

• Never be a victim. You can't control how these people act, but you can control your reaction to them. Quit whining and develop a strategy.

• Change perceptions. It's not about looking busy when the micromanager is around, it's about communicating what your priorities are to the boss. Let the micromanager know where you are on certain projects, how things are progressing. Micromanagers are often at their worst when they think you're not active enough, or are stalling.

• Create awareness. Let the micromanager know that you understand that their objectives must be met, and that is what you are working toward. Acknowledge that things will get done on time.

Write to Anita Bruzzese in care of Business Editor, Gannett News Service, 7950 Jones Branch Dr., McLean, VA 22107. For a reply, include a SASE.