Comments on: Micromanaging: Planning to Fail http://www.cloften.com/?p=1099 He'd rather be funny than good! Fri, 29 Jan 2016 20:05:26 -0600 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.6 hourly 1 By: cloften http://www.cloften.com/?p=1099&cpage=1#comment-659 cloften Wed, 29 Sep 2010 19:26:27 +0000 http://www.cloften.com/?p=1099#comment-659 If you are leading a non-leader, there are still tasks that are designated to them, i.e. Janitor. You are not necessarily looking for your janitor to lead. I still would not micro-manage such a person. I would trust him to clean. I would not say to him, "Hey, you know Fred's has better toilet brushes." I would trust and empower him to do the job well. When he didn't, we would talk about why and I would want him to grow in his skills and "ownership." If he needs me every week to watch him, check up on him, etc., then I am either a bad leader, a control freak, or it's time to get a new janitor. Better? Or am I not even answering the right question? If you are leading a non-leader, there are still tasks that are designated to them, i.e. Janitor. You are not necessarily looking for your janitor to lead. I still would not micro-manage such a person. I would trust him to clean. I would not say to him, “Hey, you know Fred’s has better toilet brushes.” I would trust and empower him to do the job well. When he didn’t, we would talk about why and I would want him to grow in his skills and “ownership.” If he needs me every week to watch him, check up on him, etc., then I am either a bad leader, a control freak, or it’s time to get a new janitor.

Better? Or am I not even answering the right question?

]]> By: Aaron Reddin http://www.cloften.com/?p=1099&cpage=1#comment-658 Aaron Reddin Wed, 29 Sep 2010 18:44:41 +0000 http://www.cloften.com/?p=1099#comment-658 I'll respond to your question/answer with a question. Am I confused? A) Yes I’ll respond to your question/answer with a question. Am I confused?

A) Yes

]]> By: cloften http://www.cloften.com/?p=1099&cpage=1#comment-657 cloften Wed, 29 Sep 2010 17:25:30 +0000 http://www.cloften.com/?p=1099#comment-657 I'll answer your question with a question (which is a clever way of not answering at all). Who are you leading that would need micro-managing? Let's assume you have a low level functionary working for you that has to put stamps on an envelope. If you have to stand over them and say, "no, no, no. It's better to fan out the envelopes and stick on 10 at a time. If you do it that way, it's better." Then you stand over and watch them. If you have to do that, you need to get a different low-level functionary. If you can't trust people with whatever it is they have been tasked to do, you are a control freak wasting your time watching people do stuff. Or you need new people. (I guess I did end up answering) I’ll answer your question with a question (which is a clever way of not answering at all). Who are you leading that would need micro-managing? Let’s assume you have a low level functionary working for you that has to put stamps on an envelope. If you have to stand over them and say, “no, no, no. It’s better to fan out the envelopes and stick on 10 at a time. If you do it that way, it’s better.” Then you stand over and watch them. If you have to do that, you need to get a different low-level functionary. If you can’t trust people with whatever it is they have been tasked to do, you are a control freak wasting your time watching people do stuff. Or you need new people.

(I guess I did end up answering)

]]> By: Aaron Reddin http://www.cloften.com/?p=1099&cpage=1#comment-656 Aaron Reddin Wed, 29 Sep 2010 16:27:51 +0000 http://www.cloften.com/?p=1099#comment-656 I'm curious, because it seems that this post was written about leaders who lead leaders, what your take is on leading non-leaders and if your micro/macro thoughts would remain the same. Just because I'm curious. I’m curious, because it seems that this post was written about leaders who lead leaders, what your take is on leading non-leaders and if your micro/macro thoughts would remain the same. Just because I’m curious.

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