Hi,

today I want to discuss with you about Micromanagement. What is Micromanagement anyway? It is a Management style whereby a Manager closely observes and/or controls the work of his/her subordinates or employees, or project team. Is it bad? YES! YES! YES!

Who can do Micromanagement in Projects? Managers, and Project Managers. Whoever does it it is evidence of lack of trust. Why? If you need to control every single detail, every single line of code (in SW development), every decision, than you do not trust the person who make those decisions.

Now let’s first focus on Project Manager. It’s role is not to have every single detail under the control. NOT AT ALL. He/she is responsible for control Project as a whole! It means he/she should know is the Project on track (within time, budget, scope, quality), what are the Risks, what are the problems in the Project, and finally to manage Stakeholders. Are they getting what they asked for? Is everything OK with your team?, etc.

Remember, if you are Project Manager, than you are supposed to let your team to make decisions how to make their Tasks in the best way. So, if we are talking about software development, you must be aware that you team is developing it following standards which are set up upfront. Your job is NOT to check every single line of code. Let your team breath! And help them. You are not in the Army. Command and control doesn’t work. It never did, and it never will.

In my region we have a lot of SW companies which have a Micromanagement problems with company Managers. Why? Because those Managers has started their companies in “garage”. What does this mean? It means that they were developers at the very beginning. And there is nothing wrong about that. But, their company is big now. And they are dealing with Management. And Management is the administration of an organization, whether it is a business, a not-for-profit organization, or government body. Management includes the activities of setting the strategy of an organization and coordinating the efforts of its employees (or of volunteers) to accomplish its objectives through the application of available resources, such as financial, natural, technological, and human resources. To be a Manager you should be educated. PERIOD! E D U C A T E D! If you were excellent developer, and company owner, it does NOT mean that you are now (when your company is large) good Manager, just because you are in that position. And more important, you should STOP acting like developer! Because you WERE developer, and now you are suppose to be MANAGER!

So, prerequisites for good manager are:

1. Take the education about Management
2. Set your mind in a way that you are not Developer any more
3. Do not interfere in your Developers everyday work

Not so long ago I was external PM in one famous company in the region. And I was told what to do, and what I’m not supposed to do! I have no freedom to do my work for what I am educated for. After three months I left! Why? Because I was supposed to be responsible for a Project but without authority of making decisions.

Believe me, I know what I am talking about.

Regards,

Nenad