I think the term, micro manager, applies to a person who goes beyond telling
others What has to be accomplished by also telling How and When, all
followed by frequent status checks not only regarding progress toward the
What but also regarding conformance to the How and When.
If this is a reasonable characterization then such management behavior is
valuable when the "others" are new to the task, or are facing a new task,
especially in which the ramifications of error are significant.
aka firearm safety, boot camp, coaching the fundamentals in sports.
aka Dry Runs and Dress Rehearsals (far too many managers just "wing it" when
going into an interview with the press or into a meeting with a customer
executive).
aka teaching.
One person's risk mitigation is a subordinant's micromanagement. So we see
even Jack Welch micromanaging at times -- especially when leading an
organization to new behaviors and standards.
Of course the irksome part to those being micromanaged is the "telling" and
the "negative feedback." As Winston Churchill said, "I enjoy learning. It
is being taught that I find objectionable."
Interestingly, if the manager role models instead of supervising and
provides feedback by the "One Minute Manager" rules then the learning occurs
quicker and lasts longer.
Jack Ring
32712 N. 70th St., Snottsdale, AZ 85262
480-488-4615
Information, having no mass nor rigidity, cannot be pushed, only pulled.
----- Original Message ----- >
> Date: Sat, 13 May 2000 15:50:18 -0700
> From: Dutch Driver <
Choragus@WORLDNET.ATT.COM>
> Subject: The Joys of the Micro-Manager
>[...]asking for your input on the strengths that a micro-manager brings to
an organization.
[...]\