Micromanaging eventually crops up in everyone’s career or life at some point. Whether it’s from HR, a superintendent, supervisor, teacher, school board, legislature, or a parent; it will rear its ugly head. In many situations, it is an impediment for progress and creativity. Micromanagers like control. They tell their subordinates exactly what to do and how to do it, and then continuously monitor the details to see that they are properly executed.
A micromanaged staff is stifled when it comes to innovation. They are unable to develop ideas and procedures of their own. It is interference and a disruption. When ideas have to go through a superior or a committee, independence is lost.
When teachers are micromanaged, they become counter productive. They don’t need to be told what to do because they have a feel for their students and understand their needs. Micromanagement of teachers leads to frustration and poor morale. Teachers need the ability to reach their full teaching potential. If micromanaged, and continuously told what to do, they never become creative in their methods.
Students are hurt by a lack of professional independence. Educators attend meetings that have agendas that are larger than time permits. There is no time for discussion or processing the information. Once they go into the classroom they must prepare lessons, grades, newsletters to parents, assignments, answer emails and voicemails from parents, principals, and superintendents. There is not time to process thoughts from the meeting or harbor creative thoughts for each lesson. They are micromanaged.
Teachers that are on top of their students’ thoughts and actions every moment are micromanagers. They fear they will loose control of their students so they continuously guide, advise, direct, and persuade students by stating consequences. This micromanaging is smothering to students and they begin to view the teacher as an annoyance. Students need time to process and think.
School boards are getting into the habit of micromanaging. This type of micromanagement is referred to as board interference. The board takes on tasks and makes decisions that should be left in the hands of the professional educators of the district. Day-to-day operations such as giving orders to personnel should not be a school board member’s responsibility.
Parent involvement with their children is great unless it turns into micromanaging them. There are times when parental involvement does more harm than good. Marc Nemiroff, PhD states: “Micromanagement goes against natural development. It takes away the child’s experience and (impedes) his learning how to handle himself in the world. Part of the job of the parent is not to do everything for the child, but to help him do things more and more independently.”
Micromanaging is not a productive part of the workforce. Be confident in the staff and students, celebrate their ideas, and respect their opinions. Most of all trust their judgment so they grow as professionals. Support and room for improvement is the key to the success of a healthy working environment.
