Background: Sarah works in the marketing department of a company where her boss, James, is known for his micro-managing style. James constantly checks on each team member’s work, gives excessive instructions, and often redoes work himself because he believes his way is best. As a result, team members feel frustrated and undervalued. Productivity is low, and projects are frequently delayed because of all the extra reviews and corrections.
Workaround:
To address the delays, James starts scheduling even more frequent check-ins with his team to “stay on top” of things. He believes that by micromanaging even more closely, he can catch issues early and keep the project on track. This workaround only worsens the situation: team members feel even more stifled, their morale drops, and they begin taking longer to complete their tasks because they feel pressured and unmotivated.
- Symptom: Low productivity and frequent project delays.
- Workaround Applied: Scheduling more check-ins and micromanaging more intensively.
Deeper Analysis:
After a few months of low productivity, the company’s HR department conducts a survey and finds that team members feel they lack autonomy in their roles. Many report feeling micromanaged and unable to work freely or make decisions, which causes them to be less engaged and take longer to complete tasks.
- Cause: Team members feel frustrated and demotivated due to excessive oversight and lack of autonomy.
Root Cause:
Upon further investigation, HR realises that James’s micro-managing behavior stems from a lack of trust in his team’s abilities. James fears that if he lets go of control, the quality of work will suffer, leading to mistakes. This fear of losing control is why he micromanages every detail, even though it actually reduces productivity and effectiveness.
- Root Cause: James’s lack of trust in his team, leading to a need to control every aspect of the team’s work.
Solution:
The HR department recommends leadership coaching for James to help him build trust with his team, learn effective delegation, and develop a more supportive management style. James learns to set clear goals, trust his team to complete their work, and give constructive feedback without excessive oversight. Additionally, the team introduces a system where each member can provide regular project updates, so James feels informed without needing constant check-ins.
- Solution: Leadership coaching to build trust and improve delegation, along with a system for regular project updates.
Outcome: With the new approach, James steps back and allows his team more freedom to work autonomously. Team members feel empowered, morale improves, and productivity rises significantly. Project timelines are met more consistently, and the team is more engaged and motivated. James sees that he can rely on his team without constantly overseeing every task.
Summary:
- Workaround: Scheduling more frequent check-ins and micromanaging even more closely.
- Symptom Addressed: Low productivity and frequent project delays.
- Cause: Team members feel demotivated and frustrated by lack of autonomy.
- Root Cause: James’s lack of trust in his team, leading him to micro-manage excessively.
- Solution: Leadership coaching for James to improve delegation and trust, plus a system for regular updates.
Anecdote Explanation: This story shows how a workaround like more frequent check-ins doesn’t resolve the underlying problem of low productivity. The real root cause was James’s lack of trust in his team, leading him to micromanage, which actually demotivated his team. Only by addressing this root cause through leadership training and new communication practices was the team able to improve its productivity and meet project goals more effectively.
