How many of us micro-manage?

Many business owners, executives and some school Principals micro-manage their staff. Without knowing it, they waste everyone's time and money. Worst of all they drain the lifeblood of the business by sapping its greatest strength: the energy of their employees.

Whether they know it or not, micro-managers inhibit employees from working. When they give an employee and assignment, and tell them how they want the assignment done, ask them about it every day, look over their shoulders and smother them with questions, they rob their employees of expertise.

By dictating every step of the process, the micro-manager stops people from doing their jobs. The micro-manager also adds the impossible burden of making the employee figure out how the boss wants the job done, rather than how to do it -- two totally different and often opposing propositions.

Micro-management also robs employees of job satisfaction. How can they enjoy their jobs if they're forced to spend their time second-guessing the boss and aren’t allowed to contribute any of their ability? They can't! Most employees resent this deeply. Most of us want to do our best at our jobs. For most people, doing your best is part of the enjoyment of working.

By stifling new ideas, this type of manager also creates a company that rapidly becomes stale. Instead the company growing and changing as it naturally would if everyone were bringing their own perspective to the mix, the company goes around and around in the same circles and stagnates. As everyone knows, the company, which stagnates, is usually going downhill.