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A micromanaging boss actually hurts your health, according to a new study!
By Rebecca Jane Stokes — Written on Oct 19, 2016
We've all had a bad boss.
My worst boss liked to call me into her office and talk to me about why I needed to wear better makeup if I planned on getting ahead in business. To be clear, the business was answering phones, not exactly the first rung on any sort of ladder.
The worst sort of boss? Why that, my friends, would be the micromanager.
A micromanaging boss spends all of their time in your business, slowing down your process and zapping you of any desire you might have to produce good work.
Why does someone micromanage? It's almost always caused by insecurity in their own ability to accurately communicate, fearfulness, and the fact that they are overly stressed out themselves.
Having a boss who is a micromanager is a rite of passage, but now science is saying that the effects of having a micromanaging boss could actually shorten your life!
Is your boss a micromanager? Here are 8 signs that you need to start looking for a new gig!
1. A micromanager never delegates
If your boss is a micromanager, they are always, always, always busy. The killer is they are often busy with stuff that could be easily handled by other team members. But micromangers? Yeah, they can't hand off projects to others. If they aren't doing it, in their mind, it won't get done right.
2. A micromanager has to be involved in everyone's work
You might be puttering away on a special project for months and then come into the office to find that your boss has changed the entire layout without consulting you and for no apparent reason. A micromanager has to put their mark on everything, whether or not it's beneficial to the team.
3. A micromanager ignores the experience of their team
A micromanager could have the most experienced team in the business, but that doesn't matter. When it comes to do things well, only the micromanager can be trusted — at least, in their mind. It doesn't matter if you've been doing this for twenty years and they're brand new, their word is law.
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4. A micromanager overworks themselves by doing the tasks of others
A micromanager will complain passively about their workload, often taking away projects from other people believing that they are the only ones who can things properly. This leads to burnout, serious stress, anger, and resentment all around.
5. A micromanager is obsessed with pointless details
A micromanager cannot see the big picture. Why worry about the end of year numbers when you can focus on making sure that the weekly newsletter really sings? A micromanager can't think about the future, they've made themselves to busy to do it.
6. A micromanager has the wrong priorities
A micromanager is more concerned with how they are being perceived than they are with the success and happiness of the entire team and the entire business enterprise. As long as they are seen to be hardworking and industrious, the rest can go to hell.
7. A micromanager doesn't allow others to make decisions
This goes hand in hand with refusing to delegate. In a micromanager's mind, they are the only one who is capable of making a good decision. Even simple decisions like blue or black pens has to be made by the micromanager. They just don't trust anyone else to do it right.
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8. A micromanager has a team that is unmotivated
It's no surprise that a micromanager has a team of people who are often frustrated, tired, grump, and totally unmotivated. Why bother trying if your work is just going to be totally redone? Why show what you are capable of if your boss will never help you climb the corporate ladder?
