203:. A micromanager tends to require constant and detailed performance feedback and to focus excessively on procedural minutia (often in detail greater than they can actually process) rather than on overall performance, quality, and results. This micro focus on trivial matters often delays decisions, clouds overall goals and objectives, restricts the flow of information between employees, and guides the various aspects of a project in different and often opposed directions. The sum of such inefficiencies is unlikely to be a net gain for the organization, even if it allows a micromanager retention of control or the mere appearance of it.
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The most frequent motivations for micromanagement are internal and related to the personality of the manager. However, the external factors such as organizational culture may also play a major role. Other factors which can induce micromanagement include the importance of a project and its timeline,
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and lack of trust. When a task or project is delegated in an unclear way, or where a lack of confidence exists between the manager and the person doing the work, both common characteristics of too little management, micromanagement, however, may instead ensue. Preventatives include clear delegation,
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Micromanagement can have profound psychological effects on employees. It often leads to increased stress, anxiety, and a sense of helplessness. Employees may feel undervalued and lose confidence in their abilities. Over time, this can result in burnout and a high turnover rate. Understanding these
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and narcissistic behavior. Micromanagement resembles addiction in that although most micromanagers are behaviorally dependent on control over others, both as a lifestyle and as a means of maintaining that lifestyle, many of them fail to recognize and acknowledge their dependence even when everyone
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When employees are constantly monitored and controlled, it creates a high-stress environment. The fear of making mistakes and the pressure to meet unrealistic expectations can lead to anxiety. This stress can spill over into personal life, affecting overall well-being.
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While micromanagers may believe they are ensuring high standards, the opposite is often true. Constant oversight can slow down processes, as employees wait for approvals and second-guess their decisions. This can lead to missed deadlines and reduced efficiency.
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Micromanagement sends a message that the manager does not trust the employee’s abilities. This lack of trust can erode self-confidence and make employees doubt their skills and judgment. Over time, this can lead to a decrease in job satisfaction and motivation.
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A culture of micromanagement can permeate an organization, affecting morale and engagement. Employees may feel demotivated and disengaged, leading to higher turnover rates and difficulty attracting top talent.
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Beyond individual psychological effects, micromanagement can have broader organizational consequences. These include reduced team cohesion, lower overall productivity, and a negative workplace culture.
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Micromanagement can create a divide between managers and employees, leading to a lack of trust and collaboration. Team members may become less willing to share ideas or take initiative, fearing
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can lead to burnout. Employees may feel exhausted, both physically and emotionally, and lose interest in their work. Burnout can result in decreased productivity and increased absenteeism.
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Rather than giving general instructions on smaller tasks and then devoting time to supervising larger concerns, the micromanager monitors and assesses every step of a process and avoids
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of decisions. Micromanagers are usually irritated when subordinates makes decisions without consulting them, even if the decisions are within the subordinates' level of authority.
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Although micromanagers may have good intentions, micromanaging most often arises due to a lack of trust and respect. Some common reasons why people micromanage include:
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defined micromanagement as "atten to small details in management: control a person or a situation by paying extreme attention to small details."
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reasons, to delegate work to subordinates and then micromanage those subordinates' performance, enabling the micromanagers in question to both
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style characterized by behaviors such as an excessive focus on observing and controlling subordinates and an obsession with details.
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Often, this obsession with the most minute of details causes a direct management failure in the loss of focus on the major details.
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for negative results to their subordinates. These micromanagers thereby delegate accountability for failure but not the
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64:'s online dictionary defines micromanagement as "manage especially with excessive control or attention on details."
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with more important work and more demanding deadlines increasing the stakes for the manager in charge.
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This article is about the management style in business. For micromanagement in video gaming, see
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The most extreme cases of micromanagement constitute a management pathology closely related to
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impacts can help both managers and employees address the root causes of micromanagement.
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defines micromanagement as "manage or control with excessive attention to minor details."
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Micromanagement can also stem from such dynamics as a breakdown in the fundamentals of
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Organizational
Realities - Micromanagement: What It Is and How to Deal with It
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that would have led to success or at least to the mitigation of that failure.
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A belief that work deemed superior to their own may make them look inadequate
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459:. Berrett Koehler Publishers, San Francisco. Retrieved on 20 June 2008.
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It is common for micromanagers, especially those who exhibit
584:"Micromanager Definition: 25 Signs and How To Deal With One"
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a well defined goal, and a firm grasp of constraints and
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Micromanagement also frequently involves requests for
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321:The Organizational Impact of Micromanagement
550:National Federation of Independent Business
27:Excessive attention or control by a manager
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180:Learn how and when to remove this message
49:Micromanagement generally has a negative
638:Men's interests: The modern man's guide
599:"Why is Micromanagement So Infectious?"
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247:Extreme need for control and domination
201:unnecessary and overly detailed reports
688:?", Harvard Business Review, 17 August
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634:"How to Deal with a Micromanagement?"
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224:authority to take alternative actions
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686:Why is Micromanagement So Infectious
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118:adding citations to reliable sources
680:How to Deal with a Micromanagement?
498:Merriam-Webster's Online Dictionary
920:Narcissistic Personality Inventory
684:Niko Canner and Ethan Bernstein: "
546:"Micromanagement is Mismanagement"
313:The constant pressure and lack of
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856:Narcissistic personality disorder
699:Softpanorama micromanagement page
632:Fekry, Ahmed (9 September 2024).
380:Machiavellianism in the workplace
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709:The Real Cost of Micromanagement
250:Poor self-image and insecurities
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105:needs additional citations for
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515:. Retrieved on 21 June 2008.
752:Similar personality concepts
534:. Retrieved on 21 June 2008.
405:Psychopathy in the workplace
1077:Counterproductive behaviour
929:Related psychology concepts
571:Narcissism: Behind the Mask
544:McConnell, Charles (2006).
509:Encarta Dictionary (2008).
385:Narcissism in the workplace
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650:: CS1 maint: url-status (
354:Negative Workplace Culture
253:Inexperience in management
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370:Abusive power and control
234:around them observes it.
218:for positive results and
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1227:Hostile work environment
453:Chambers, Harry (2004).
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1352:Quality of working life
1042:Artificial intelligence
849:Pathological narcissism
678:Men's interests :
603:Harvard Business Review
528:Dictionary.com (2008).
390:Narcissistic leadership
1574:Aspects of occupations
375:Blame in organizations
67:The online dictionary
1312:Performance appraisal
1062:Computer surveillance
815:Collective narcissism
794:Narcissus (mythology)
456:My Way or the Highway
400:Outline of management
1457:Workplace harassment
1447:Work–family conflict
1162:Employee recognition
873:Malignant narcissism
114:improve this article
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1222:Health surveillance
1152:Employee monitoring
1147:Employee experience
1142:Employee engagement
1137:Employee assistance
1122:Effects of overtime
1027:Abusive supervision
799:Superiority complex
1625:Waste of resources
1357:Queen bee syndrome
774:Healthy narcissism
415:Setting up to fail
345:Lower Productivity
300:Loss of Confidence
231:workplace bullying
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1172:Employee surveys
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1523:Organization
1513:Labor rights
1493:Headquarters
1412:Toxic leader
1392:Spirituality
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1257:Kick the cat
1247:Intervention
1187:Feminisation
1037:Anti-pattern
936:Compensation
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18:Micromanager
1538:Trade union
1528:Remote work
1503:Job sharing
1478:Corporation
1427:Undermining
1347:Psychopathy
1197:Goofing off
1192:Generations
1177:Empowerment
1022:Absenteeism
1006:Aspects of
951:Grandiosity
946:Entitlement
820:Don Juanism
769:God complex
519:2009-11-01.
288:Stress and
216:take credit
170:August 2023
51:connotation
1610:Narcissism
1605:Management
1599:Categories
1584:Employment
1483:Employment
1292:Narcissism
1242:Inequality
1237:Incivility
1212:Harassment
1182:Evaluation
1117:Drug tests
1032:Aggression
1008:workplaces
913:withdrawal
868:Dark triad
830:Leadership
808:In society
745:Narcissism
432:References
268:delegation
194:delegation
140:newspapers
57:Definition
44:management
1620:Workplace
1557:Templates
1342:Profanity
1337:Probation
1277:Menopause
1267:Listening
1207:Happiness
1107:Diversity
1092:Democracy
1082:Coworking
608:23 August
339:criticism
212:strategic
1471:See also
1462:Workwear
1452:Workload
1442:Wellness
1432:Violence
1422:Turnover
1417:Training
1397:Strategy
1387:Sabotage
1362:Rat race
1302:Overwork
1132:Emotions
1097:Deviance
1067:Conflict
1047:Bullying
967:Category
893:neurosis
759:Egomania
646:cite web
517:Archived
363:See also
332:Cohesion
315:autonomy
86:Symptoms
1488:Factory
1437:Virtual
1372:Revenge
1332:Privacy
1287:Mobbing
1057:Culture
1052:Climate
941:Empathy
898:elation
861:history
840:Parents
764:Egotism
309:Burnout
290:Anxiety
279:Effects
154:scholar
70:Encarta
1518:Office
1402:Stress
1322:Phobia
1252:Jargon
1202:Gossip
1015:Topics
908:supply
888:injury
779:Hubris
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555:8 June
496:, via
258:Causes
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1232:Humor
161:JSTOR
147:books
42:is a
670:ISBN
652:link
610:2016
557:2008
133:news
1498:Job
116:by
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