Written by Saima Ahmad, PhD and Melissa Wheeler, PhD

Imagine a talented sculptor, meticulously working the clay — not into some grand masterpiece, but into a formless lump.

That's the essence of micromanaging: a toxic leadership style that suffocates creativity and crushes morale. Micromanagers exert excessive control on even the small, everyday tasks that their subordinates perform. This can be exacerbated in remote working set-ups, where managers have less direct oversight of what their people are doing, not to mention how, when, or how long they are doing it.

Micromanagement often stems from a leader's fear of losing control, a lack of trust in their team, or an insecurity about their own abilities. This management style is sometimes an indicator of deeper leadership deficiencies and can impede an organization's growth and success.

A manager's own insecurity, self-doubt, and lack of confidence can obstruct their ability to delegate effectively or to trust their team's capabilities. The fear that the team might not meet targets can push leaders to micromanage.

Micromanagement........

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