Blog

Being a manager isn’t easy. Whether you have a large team directly reporting to you or an intimate sub-team, managing people comes with many challenges. For you and your team to achieve success, it’s important that you assert yourself as a leader rather than falling into the micromanagement trap. A good team is built on collaboration and mutual respect, which is inspired by a good leader and not a micromanager.

What exactly is micromanagement?

Micromanagement is a style of management that seeks to over direct and control employees. This is done through over-involvement, exaggerating minute details, measuring progress too frequently, and obsessing over information gathering. This can result in stifled creativity, a lack of cohesion and reduced morale amongst employees.

That being said, it’s important to differentiate between managing and micromanaging. When talking about managing a team, “micromanagement” has become a popular buzz word and is often in danger of being overused. Before identifying someone as a micromanager, remember that delegating, providing expectations and holding people accountable for their performance are not examples of micromanagement. When managers don’t do those things, they end up under-managing.

What does a strong leader look like?

Effective leadership is made up of traits and actions that are the catalyst for harmony among team members. A skilled leader is supposed to inspire employees through their vision, communicates objectives and feedback effectively and cultivates trust through open communication. A leader needs to possess a strong sense of emotional intelligence so they can adapt their style to suit diverse situations and different personalities.

What’s the difference between the two?

Trust vs. Control

A significant disparity between good leadership and micromanagement lies in the realm of trust and control. A leader entrusts their team with responsibilities, demonstrating confidence in their abilities. Micromanagers, on the other hand, cling to control, undermining their team's sense of independence and potential.

A good leader ensures that all employees have an understanding of their own contribution within the company and that they feel a strong sense of responsibility for delivering in that role. Trust that your team is capable and ready to deliver (that’s why you hired them after all). Managers can assist employees in setting their targets, helping them formulate a strategy to get there and guiding them through challenges they encounter along the way. It’s not a manager's job to solve problems for the team but to show them how to solve the problem themselves.

Delegation vs. Dictation

Effective leaders adeptly delegate tasks based on team members' strengths, fostering skill development and empowerment. Micromanagers, however, dictate every step, suffocating creativity and impeding professional growth.

If a micromanager is heading up every project and task, their intention is usually to appear on top of things. One person can’t do this effectively - especially whilst also managing a team. What will happen is the creation of a bottleneck of work, where the manager finds themselves under a lot of pressure to complete the tasks they’ve taken on without support while their team works without direction. It’s important to trust that everyone in your team is capable of doing their job and is working towards the same goals that you are.

Visionary vs. Shortsighted

Leaders possess a clear vision, guiding their team towards a shared goal while allowing room for adaptation. Micromanagers often focus on immediate tasks, neglecting the bigger picture and hindering long-term progress.

An authentic leader won’t waste your time with instructions that lack direction. They are aware of the power of their impact and respect the responsibility they have. By providing their team with well thought out and purposeful instructions, they can inspire their team to work together to achieve a common goal rather than neglecting the bigger picture and hindering long-term success.

Communication vs. Dictation

Leaders excel in communication, fostering an open dialogue where ideas flow freely through their team. Micromanagers dictate methods, which eradicates open discussion and valuable input from the rest of the team.

When employees receive meaningful and actionable feedback from their manager, they can improve both their performance and their confidence. Taking the time to do this for employees will boost productivity and morale. Thoughtful information given to employees and teams also encourages initiative, instead of living in fear of a manager and needing instruction for every tiny task and detail. Through effective communication, good leaders will empower their team by fostering an environment where diverse perspectives are valued and individuals are encouraged to take ownership of their work

Growth vs. Stagnation

Leaders nurture an environment of growth, providing opportunities for skill enhancement and professional development. Micromanagement perpetuates stagnation, inhibiting progress and limiting the evolution of team members.

Good leaders want their team to grow with them. By mentoring their team, leaders can help their employees achieve not only the company or team goals, but their own career goals too. Find out where your staff want to be in the future and give them the tools and feedback that they need to help them get there.

Collaboration vs. Solitude

Effective leaders prioritise collaboration, recognising the strength in collective efforts and diverse skill sets. Micromanagers often isolate themselves in decision-making, shutting out valuable collaborative dynamics.

Leaders regularly seek out a diversity of opinions and ideas among teammates to build strategies and solve problems. As a result, employees are more engaged, feel trusted and are more likely to take ownership of their work. This creates a working environment that operates through collaboration.

While both approaches can yield results, it is important to remember that a leader’s approach is often more effective in the long run. Embracing the qualities of a strong leader paves the way for cohesive teamwork, enabling individuals to flourish in their roles and organisations to thrive.

Here at Platform Recruitment we've been developing our expertise for over 12 years, making us a leading recruitment agency based in North London.

​We currently have clients with live roles, looking for exciting new talent to join their team – contact us now to find out more and see which opportunities we have for you in Software Development, DevOps, Mechanical, Hardware & Electronics, Life Sciences, Data Science, Manufacturing, QA and Engineering – as well as management, operations and support function roles.

​