A management style characterized by excessive control and attention to minor details of employees' work, often involving constant supervision and approval requirements for small decisions. This approach typically reduces employee autonomy and can harm productivity and morale.
Coined in the 1980s by combining 'micro-' (small, detailed) with 'management.' The term emerged as organizational psychology recognized the negative effects of overly controlling management styles on employee performance and satisfaction.
Micromanagement usually stems from managers' own insecurity or lack of trust, but it creates a vicious cycle—the more you micromanage, the less capable your team becomes, which makes you feel like you need to micromanage even more. The antidote is setting clear expectations and then stepping back.
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