Micro management in project management
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Abstract
This article will go into detail abound micro-management in project management, and which negative effects it can have on project success. Everybody knows the term micro-management and that it can seriously affect many factors in the workplace and thereby also in project management. “79% have experienced micromanagement from their current or past managers.” [1] This meant that even if a team leader or manager thinks that they are not micromanaging there is still a high chance that it’s still happening. Therefore it’s important for all team leaders and members to know abound micromanagement and its negative impacts. Which includes reduced team morale, decreased motivation, increased stress levels, and a less successful project result. To avoid micro-management, project managers should strike a balance between control and autonomy and whit this delegate responsibilities, thereby boosting team innovation. By considering the four perspectives of project management (Purpose, People, Complexity, and Uncertainty), this article will give project managers can gain a more comprehensive understanding of the impact of micro-management and what tools can be used to avoid Micromanagement.
Definition of micro management
What is Micro mangenment
Micro-management is a management style where a manager or project manager exerts excessive control over their team, often getting involved in even the smallest of tasks. According to the Cambridge English Dictionary, micro-management is "the act of controlling every part of a situation, including small details." [2]While some may see micro-management to ensure high levels of productivity and quality, it can have a negative impact on employee morale and creativity. In regards to project management, especially, employee morale in the area and the possible lack of creativity can have a huge impact on the solution space of a project.
Understanding micro-management
Understanding the impact of micro-management is crucial for effective project management. While micromanagement can have some short-term advantages in certain situations, such as training new team members, increasing productivity on certain tasks, and controlling high-risk issues, the long-term costs can be excessive and significantly affect a project. These long-term disadvantages could be low employee morale, high staff turnover, reduction of productivity, and dissatisfaction among stakeholders. In fact, micro-management is among the top three reasons employees quit.[3] Ultimately, micro-management leads to long-term decreased growth potential in a department, hindering progress and success.
By knowing the impacts of micro-management, project managers can avoid its negative effects and promote autonomy, trust, and innovation among team members, ensuring the success of one or multiple projects.
Symptoms of Micro-management
The impacts of micro management
Micro-management can have an impact on many areas, which can be within all areas of project management, such as project success or efficiency, but it can also have an impact on the people involved. This section will go through some of the most impactful areas within project management.
Team morale and motivation
Micromanagement has negative impacts on employees. It reduces job satisfaction and makes them feel like they have no control. Constant supervision and criticism create a stressful work environment that affects mental and physical health. This makes employees become less motivated and their creativity suffers. Being monitored damages there trust in the manager and creates a negative work environment.
"morale suffers as subordinate employees feel the administration does not trust their ability and competency as corrections officers, effectively driving a wedge between management and subordinates" [5]
Project progress and efficienty
Micromanagement can have a significant impact on project progress, both positively and negatively. Micromanagement can ensure that tasks are completed on time and at high standard due to high amounts of checkups from a project manager. This can also prevent errors and misunderstandings, leading to a more streamlined project process. However, this may only work for a short period since the long-term effect of micromanagement from a project manager can give employees the feeling of low autonomy, thereby decreasing problem-solving capabilities. This can leads demotivation and a decrease in productivity. "Indeed, micromanagement can benefit performance when it helps to minimize coordination failures and to ensure quality control. Such benefits, however, may be outweighed by the costs of micromanagement, including reduced employee autonomy." [6]
Project success
Project success means completing a project according to the agreed-upon terms, which include factors like time, budget, scope, and quality. These factors can be impacted by micromanagement. While some factors like budget and quality can be closely managed under micromanagement and have positive impacts, excessive micromanagement can hinder the overall project's success. For instance, it may overlook the possibility of an even better solution that could have been developed if employees had more autonomy. Therefore finding a balance between accountability and autonomy is crucial for achieving project success.
The need for a balance between control and autonomy in project management
In management, and therefore also in project management, it is necessary to strike the right balance between micro-management and no management. As mentioned in the sections above, micro-management can be beneficial in ensuring that project sub-tasks are completed on schedule and to quality standards. It allows project managers to closely monitor the progress of the project, identify issues early, and take action to keep the project on track. However, too much micro-management can have an impact on creativity and innovation, leading to disengagement and low morale among team members.
On the other hand, no management can lead to chaos and confusion, resulting in missed deadlines, poor quality, and ultimately project failure. Without any structured approach to managing a project, team members lack clear direction, leading to misunderstandings and miscommunications. Therefore, the balance between micro-management and no management in project management is critical. This requires project managers to delegate tasks, provide clear guidelines and expectations, and ensure that team members have the optimal conditions to solve the sub-task efficiently.
At the same time, project managers should avoid micromanaging and give team members the autonomy to make decisions and solve problems. This approach fosters a sense of ownership and accountability among team members, leading to greater engagement, innovation, and ultimately project success.
This is also illustrated by the diagram using the double diamond model at different levels of management. It is noted that the more micro-management, the smaller the solution space becomes, and vice versa, less management opens up the solution space, but the amount of the solution may become difficult to grasp.
The use of micro management under a crises
During a crisis, it is essential to ensure that critical tasks are completed on time and to a high standard. This could be due to a project being behind schedule or unexpected problems arising during the project. Micro-management can be a valuable tool during a crisis, as it allows project managers to efficiently and quickly complete a particular task. However, it is crucial to avoid excessive micro-management and allow team members to rest after a period of micromanagement. Micro-management should only be used as a short-term, high-intensity boost to a project and limited to crisis situations to avoid long term effects on the employs.
Strategies and tools for avoiding micro management
delegating responsibilities
establishing performance metrics
clear communication
The importance of empowering team members and promoting creativity and innovation
The role of trust and transparency in avoiding micro management
The impact of micro-management on the four perspectives of project management (Purpose, People, Complexity, and Uncertainty)
Best practices for avoiding micro-management
References
- ↑ Chambers, Harry E. My way or the highway: The micromanagement survival guide. Vol. 13. ReadHowYouWant. com, 2009.
- ↑ "micromanagement." Cambridge English Dictionary, Cambridge University Press, 2021, https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/micromanagement.
- ↑ Collins, Sandra K, and Kevin S Collins. “Micromanagement--a costly management style.” Radiology management vol. 24,6 (2002): 32-5.
- ↑ White Jr, Richard D. "The micromanagement disease: Symptoms, diagnosis, and cure." Public Personnel Management 39.1 (2010): 71-76.
- ↑ Shuford, John A. "Micromanagement: The enemy of staff morale." Corrections Today 81.5 (2019): 36-41.
- ↑ Tost, Leigh Plunkett, et al. "The Paradox of Micromanagement: The Benefits and Costs of Close Monitoring for Organizational Leaders." Academy of Management Discoveries, vol. 2, no. 4, 2016, pp. 359-371.
