Too much micromanagement or too little management?

I often get asked, “Luca, how do I know what is too much micromanagement?”

I get this question. Too much micromanagement is bad. However, not doing enough management for fear of micromanaging is also bad.

It is important to distinguish between the two. Here are three rules of thumb:

1. Feedback on methods (how you would have done the task) might be micromanagement.

2. Feedback on outcomes (“That’s below standard” or “You crossed this boundary”) is never micromanagement.

3. Clarifying what matters is never micromanagement.

Let’s go through each of these rules of thumb.

Feedback on methods

Comments on how you would have done the task might or might not be micromanagement, depending on whether your comments are helpful.

Here are some examples:

• If you comment just to say something, you’re not being helpful.

• If your comment adds work that doesn’t meaningfully improve the outcome, you’re not being helpful.

• If your comment takes a few minutes but could have been said in a few seconds, you’re not being helpful.

• Any comment such as “I would have done it this way, but it is okay if you do it that way” is a waste of time.

• If you highlight that they did something wrong instead of focusing on how to improve the outcome, you’re not being helpful.

• If your comment helps them see something they didn’t consider, you’re being helpful (but only if that something is important).

Feedback on outcomes

Feedback on outcomes is never micromanagement.

People need to know if they are doing something well or badly, and they need to know it very frequently.

There’s a reason many people hate their jobs but love playing video games: video games give them feedback on their performance very frequently, and their bosses don’t.

Feedback on what matters

Clarifying what matters is never micromanagement.

In fact, it is management. It’s a core part of what your job is about, and if you do not do it, you are not doing your job.

Summary

Do not let your fear of micromanaging keep you from adequately giving your subordinates the information, direction, and feedback they need to perform at their best.