Micromanaging the process instead of people allows a manager to provide detailed guidance and direction to the overall project while giving the individuals involved the freedom to use their skills, abilities, and creativity to complete the task.

It also reduces the risk of overlooking potential problems or missing deadlines and ensures that all team members stay on the same page. By taking control of the process, managers can ensure that projects are completed with the highest level of quality and on time.

What is micromanaging?

Micromanagement is when a manager attempts to control every single aspect of a project or task, including the individuals who are completing it. While it is understandable that a manager would want to know exactly how their employees are performing and how the project is progressing, micromanagement is an often overused management technique where the manager attempts to control everything their employees do.

Benefits of micromanaging the process instead of people

👉 Improved efficiency – By micromanaging the process, the manager takes the reins and focuses on the details of the task while still allowing team members to use their creativity and skills, which has the added benefit of boosting their team member’s self-confidence and creativity, therefore improving the overall quality of their work.

👉 Reduced project rework – Ensuring that all tasks are completed to the correct standards and guidelines reduces the chance that a project will need to be reworked, therefore reducing rework and the associated costs of time and materials.

👉 Increased accountability – When a manager takes control of certain aspects of a project, they can provide increased levels of accountability.

👉 Increased transparency – Helping to increase transparency, along with the other benefits listed above, micromanaging the process can help to ensure that all members of an organization are working towards the same goal.

How to micromanage the process

❗ Set clear expectations – Setting expectations on the timeline for completing tasks, as well as the acceptable level of quality, will help to ensure that team members know when they are expected to perform at their best.

❗ Hold team meetings – Meetings can be a great way to set expectations, as well as provide a forum for team members to voice their concerns and share their ideas. If managers are unable to attend meetings, then they should ensure that they at least plan the meetings in advance and make notes of the points that need to be discussed.

❗ Hold individual meetings – Depending on the project, it may also be helpful for managers to hold individual meetings with team members to discuss project tasks and deadlines, as well as provide guidance and instructions on the project’s overall timeline and expectations.

❗ Review the timeline – One effective way for managers to micromanage the process is to constantly check the timeline while also monitoring the progress of the tasks. Depending on the type of project, it may be beneficial to have a computerized timeline that shows progress and helps visualize the project’s timeline.

❗ Give detailed instructions – When instructions are given as to the details of tasks, as well as the specific steps that need to be followed, it helps to ensure that the best possible work is being produced.

❗ Follow up on tasks – By checking in with team members often, as well as with supervisors or project managers, managers can help ensure that tasks are being completed correctly and on time.

Best practices for micromanaging the process

To effectively micromanage the process, managers need to take a few extra steps. First, they should identify the tasks that need to be completed and break them down into smaller, more manageable chunks. This can help prevent potential problems or issues with the overall timeline. Second, they should assign a specific person (or team members) to each task. This can help ensure that the team members have the autonomy to use their own skills, abilities, and creativity to complete the task. Third, they should check in on the project or task at least once a week to ensure everything is going smoothly. This can help managers stay on top of the project and make adjustments as needed.

How to measure success when micromanaging the process

It can be tempting to use traditional metrics when micromanaging the process because they are familiar and easy to apply, but you should instead attempt to use more qualitative metrics. Quantitative metrics tend to be very objective and tend to focus on the hours worked. In contrast, qualitative metrics tend to be more subjective and focus on the amount of quality and creativity that was used to complete a task.

The future of micromanaging the process

While micromanaging has historically been viewed as ineffective management, it’s important to remember that it can be used effectively. Businesses will have to change the way that they approach project management if they want to become more effective and efficient. The best way to do this is to remove the focus from people and instead focus on processes. Micromanagement of processes can be an effective way to help companies become more efficient and effective.

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