Is Micromanagement Bad?

Micromanagement has a bad rep. But the reality of management might not be so clear-cut.

· Micromanagement as the last resort
· Cultural aspects of management
· In defense of micromanagement
· Communication is the key
· Conclusion
· Footnotes
· Reference

Micromanagement has a bad name. It is perceived as a symptom of weak management, lack of trust, and innovation killer. A recent survey shows that more than 57% of employees quit because of their boss. Though the exact figure of people leaving their jobs due to micromanagement is not available, the general management wisdom is not to micromanage if you want a performing team.

While I personally do not want to be micromanaged, I argue that focusing on the management style misses the point. To understand what I mean, please read on.

As a brief background, I worked for two global leading IT companies in the US before moving to Asia (Korea) more than a year ago. The move gave me a unique perspective on the different styles of management between two cultures.

Micromanagement as the last resort