In business coaching a frequent development area is micromanaging. Clients say it like it were a confession, I micromanage my team. The set point for this article is that the client already has an awareness and a willingness to change their tendency to micromanage.
Here’s How We Coach It
For many this is a repeat behavior that they want to change but feel powerless to make the change stick. This behavior was learned on an emotional level not an intellectual one.
We track the behavior as far back as they can remember and give it a couple of alternative names that help with association such as ‘control’, ‘trust’ and ‘righteousness’ (to get it done right I have to do it myself). All of these are what is ‘under’ the act of micromanaging, and we take time to unpack control and trust factors that lead to the behavior.
Pros and Cons
I have rarely heard someone refer to micromanaging in a positive light and I flip this assumption by having them craft a Pros and Cons list. Doing this has the effect of decreasing the heaviness people feel when they adopt this label, now they are less judgmental of themselves and can see some positives as well.
Pros
Some beneficial applications of micromanaging:
When training and developing a new employee.
Control that the manager/executive uses when the work is critical or requires a specific approach.
Used for immediate problem identification where they quickly identify and address issues or errors as they track progress on a project.
Cons
Here are some of the negative impacts of micromanaging:
Lower employee engagement where staff become disengaged when they feel their skills and abilities are not trusted, leading to decreased motivation and productivity.
Undermined trust between a manager and employee signals a lack of confidence in the team’s ability to perform.
Diminished morale. Constant scrutiny and lack of autonomy can lead to low morale, frustration, stress, and a negative work environment.
What if I can’t stop?
Reducing this repeated behavior takes time with an incremental approach until the executive learns to trust situations more and gains a healthy perspective on their desire to control things.
Ask yourself open-ended questions such as: How can I keep the Pros on this list and drop or decrease the Cons?
Breaking the Cycle: Executive Life Coaching for Lasting Behavioral Change
Do you find yourself frustrated by recurring behaviors you want to change but struggle to overcome? Executive Life Coaching is designed to tackle these entrenched patterns, replacing them with heightened inner calm and reduced stress levels.
The next time you catch yourself saying, "Oh, I did it again! I've got to stop that," only to find yourself repeating the cycle, it's a sign that you're ready for coaching. It was learned on an emotional level not a mental one. Let's connect and explore how you can shed these unwanted behaviors.
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