You Might Be A Micromanager If…

By E. Brown

NOTE: If you’d like to learn more about the woes of micromanagement, your personal leadership style, and the BEST four-phase framework for new and creative leaders, visit my new website, Creatives Lead.

1. Only you can do the job.
2. You’re always looking over your employees shoulders.
3. You are spending $10.00 to save $1.00.
4. You’re smarter then everyone in your company.
5. You’re always the one to complete the work of those around you.
6. You feel you can do it better than those you hired.
7. You do not have enough time to do your own job.
8. There’s only one way to get things done — your way.
9. You’re intimidated by those around you.
10. You come in early and stay late most all the time. (You also might be a workaholic)
11. You time your staff coming in the door but not when they’re leaving.
12. You email your direct reports often to find out what they are doing.
13. You ask employees what other employees are doing.
14. You play employees off one another (similar to above).
15. You request a memo for every little thing — even permission to go the bathroom.
16. You lack clear vision of the end goal or project.
17. You change your mind often and almost always reverse your decision.
18. You’re so consumed with the details you lose sight of the big picture.
19. You have your employees document and justify every action.
20. You like to have submissive subordinates.
21. You hate to respond to emails or put anything in writing.
22. You demand endless streams of useless reports.
23. You prefer to punish people rather than praise them.
24. You fear failure.
25. You are anxious most of the time and feel your incompetence will be revealed.
26. You’re infallible.
27. You’re good at humiliating people and making them feel marginalized.
28. You do not like to see your people develop professionally nor as a person.
29. You do not relinquish your authority.
30. Your employees are afraid of you.
31. You wonder why the company lacks moral, motivation, and creativity.
32. Productivity takes a permanent dive.
33. You do not delegate anything of consequence.
34. You quickly punish others mistakes but hide your own.
35. You overload yourself and those around you.
36. You are in control.
37. You are unable to make commitments.
38. You do not trust others.
39. You lie often.
40. You tend to “lay the charm on” too thick.
41. You’re irresponsible.
42. You often blame others.
43. You break promises easily — especially when keeping them is inconvenient.
44. Being vulnerable frightens you.
45. You like to surround yourself with “yes men”, brown-nosers, and boot-lickers.
46. You’re a perfectionist.
47. You knit-pick during performance reviews.
48. You love to flex your “muscle” exerting influence and power just because you can.
49. You dictate priorities for those around you.
50. You enjoy perpetuating crises.
51. You’re a “bottleneck” or “gatekeeper”.
52. You isolate your staff from contact outside your area of authority.
53. You distort information.
54. You scheme.
55. You hate and fear accountability.
56. You’re selfish and your needs are put over the needs of others.
57. You’re volatile, rigid, and explosive.
58. You personalize disagreements.
59. You’re a procedure freak.
60. Your staff resents you.
61. You take offense at this article.

If many of these ring true for you, get some professional help quickly! Many counselors and psychiatrists acknowledge that this behavior is psychopathic and in need of help. Your spouse, family, staff, company, venders, partners, and board will be glad you did.

Related Links
– How To Deal With Micromanagers
– Leadership Styles: Dictatorial, Authoritative, Consultative, Participative
– Personality Types: Lion, Otter, Golden Retriever, and Beaver
– Common Sense Carrots
– Leadership Insecurity
– The Leadership Lone Ranger is Dead

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