Micromanagement: a new direction – Golf Inc Magazine

When I was a very young man, I became a site manager for the first time. My original management style was sort of the bull in the china shop plan. I pushed ever forward, head down, eyes open. It came to light that no person on our payroll then liked that program very much. That was a long time ago. At about that same time, the general philosophy of how to manage people began to change across the business world. Hundreds of books filled the stores with a very new way to look at management. Micromanagement then became a dirty word in the world of business throughout most industries. These new books suggested that we managers needed to lead people, allowing them the freedom to do their jobs as we moved forward with a softer voice, a lighter touch. The era of the micromanager quickly began to fade into the distance. It was time, these books suggested, to develop people, allowing them the chance to stretch, try things, and become more self-assertive. The manager then became a coach, offering feedback against organizational goals.

While I absolutely concur that no employee wants to be micromanaged; having senior people thinking for them, this post will actually reintroduce micromanagement, but in a far different form.  Although I firmly agree that no manager in 2023 should be hovering over the efforts or workspaces of any employee, I do suggest leaders have the opportunity, actually the responsibility, to support the team, measuring and managing expectations against stated goals. When it comes to getting things done, it is time for supporting, coaching, and not in your face management of any type. This In My Opinion post offers three ideas about how to help the organization succeed. Here is my opinion:

Be close to the action: it is pretty clear that managers who hang in their offices, who “lead” from afar, miss not only the opportunity to coach and support, they miss the invaluable opportunity to offer immediate recognition for a job well done. No doubt, managers wear several hats. There are certainly those times when the manager needs to step back, be in the office, working through information pertinent to the daily nature of the enterprise. Once the day kicks in, once golfers gather to play, the leader must put on the hospitality hat, becoming fan and friend to both golfer and staff member.

Be clear with your expectations: it is essential for leadership to be clear and concise as to what is expected. From the time a golfer enters the clubhouse, the team…