Management styles need to vary with the people you employ and with the jobs they are expected to do.
There are people who I would call "self starters", these are the people you do NOT need or want to micromanage. They will resent it and they do a better job without it. These are the people I'd put in charge of the night-shift or other times when I wasn't around to do the thinking.
Then there are the vast majority of people who do not want to think while on the job.
If you create a list of their duties and clearly define what is expected of them, you will get more work from them and they will be happier because they aren't being stressed out trying to guess what is wanted of them. These types truly do resent being forced to make any decisions at all, it's "above their pay grade" as many of them will tell you. In other words, these people are content to work for less money, so long as their job is easy enough to accomplish that they feel capable and secure. They don't want to think about what they need to do, not while at work and certainly not after they have clocked out for the day. They often live in fear of being shouted at for getting anything wrong, if they are given too much flexibility.
From my experience there is no one size fits all approach to management, it depends on both the people you hire and what type of business you are running and even what jobs you hire people for within your own business.
For instance, in the Grocery business assistant managers need flexibility, cashiers and people who work putting stock on the shelves, no so much. Your managers will do a better job if given flexibility, whereas the general employees will resent not knowing exactly what to do and when to do it.
I'd also suggest that some managers have personalities that make them better at managing different groups of people. People with naturally authoritarian personalities are better off managing people who do NOT like flexibility. Managers who need to deal with creative types should not be authoritarians, etc. etc.
I think the problem with micromanaging that rears its ugly head even if employees prefer being a mere cog in the machine, is that micromanaging is terribly inefficient. Micromanaging is an indication that either the employee isn't adding enough value to warrant employment, or the manager isn't adding enough value to warrant employment at the superior level if he/she is wasting time trying to do subordinates' jobs for them.
I put together a list of exactly what was expected of each position in our store. If you worked in back or in the meat department, there was one list and another for the cashiers and yet another for the people in charge of dairy and produce. They knew exactly what was expected, I didn't however, micromanage how they got it done or in what order they needed to get things done. It was efficient, in that I only had to make the list once and with it everyone knew what needed to get done.
However, if I sat next to them telling them how to do every little thing all day long, I'd have had no time to get done the things I needed. So yep, micro-managing every last thing is inefficient and can absolutely be overdone even with workers who aren't self starters, whereas being specific and detailed in goals usually isn't.
Management styles need to vary with the people you employ and with the jobs they are expected to do.
There are people who I would call "self starters", these are the people you do NOT need or want to micromanage. They will resent it and they do a better job without it. These are the people I'd put in charge of the night-shift or other times when I wasn't around to do the thinking.
Then there are the vast majority of people who do not want to think while on the job.
If you create a list of their duties and clearly define what is expected of them, you will get more work from them and they will be happier because they aren't being stressed out trying to guess what is wanted of them. These types truly do resent being forced to make any decisions at all, it's "above their pay grade" as many of them will tell you. In other words, these people are content to work for less money, so long as their job is easy enough to accomplish that they feel capable and secure. They don't want to think about what they need to do, not while at work and certainly not after they have clocked out for the day. They often live in fear of being shouted at for getting anything wrong, if they are given too much flexibility.
From my experience there is no one size fits all approach to management, it depends on both the people you hire and what type of business you are running and even what jobs you hire people for within your own business.
For instance, in the Grocery business assistant managers need flexibility, cashiers and people who work putting stock on the shelves, no so much. Your managers will do a better job if given flexibility, whereas the general employees will resent not knowing exactly what to do and when to do it.
I'd also suggest that some managers have personalities that make them better at managing different groups of people. People with naturally authoritarian personalities are better off managing people who do NOT like flexibility. Managers who need to deal with creative types should not be authoritarians, etc. etc.
All good points, Brad!
I think the problem with micromanaging that rears its ugly head even if employees prefer being a mere cog in the machine, is that micromanaging is terribly inefficient. Micromanaging is an indication that either the employee isn't adding enough value to warrant employment, or the manager isn't adding enough value to warrant employment at the superior level if he/she is wasting time trying to do subordinates' jobs for them.
I put together a list of exactly what was expected of each position in our store. If you worked in back or in the meat department, there was one list and another for the cashiers and yet another for the people in charge of dairy and produce. They knew exactly what was expected, I didn't however, micromanage how they got it done or in what order they needed to get things done. It was efficient, in that I only had to make the list once and with it everyone knew what needed to get done.
However, if I sat next to them telling them how to do every little thing all day long, I'd have had no time to get done the things I needed. So yep, micro-managing every last thing is inefficient and can absolutely be overdone even with workers who aren't self starters, whereas being specific and detailed in goals usually isn't.
So, you were no Arthur Carlson scheming a turkey drop from a helicopter? 🤣
Well maybe a couple times, there was a bit of a learning curve.
I laugh myself to tears every time I see or hear Les's coverage of the... event.
A brilliant episode.
"W . . . K . . . R . . . P!" 🤣
Haven’t seen the episode, loved this post but I will respond as this:
Sometimes I simply wish I was more than I am.
That’s a place of pride where we can fall. So today I will add I am thankful for who I am; who I was created to be.
Happy Thanksgiving! 🍁
Beautifully said, Maria! Happy Thanksgiving to you, too 😇