Whether it’s intentional or not, micromanaging negatively affects productivity. Chambers found that 71 percent of people claimed that micromanagement interfered with job performance, and 85 percent said morale suffered as a result.
As a manager or leader, one way to stop feeling the need to micromanage (or help you resist the urge) is to recognize your team for their contributions regularly. Recognition for a job well-done or fresh idea builds confidence and encourages self-initiative, giving your employees a sense of control and empowerment.
…And there is research to back this up. Thomas Ng, with the School of Business and Economics at the University of Hong Kong, found that an employees’ sense of control over their work is crucial for motivation.
It’s not always that employees lack initiative or are not up to the task, it’s that they are constantly under a microscope and afraid of making a mistake. By recognizing instead of scrutinizing their work, managers will identify an employee’s strengths and find ways to push their development and performance.
Check out Cindy Ventrice’s blog, Make Their Day, for more on using recognition to combat micromanaging.
