I have a question about micromanaging CEOs. How should competent staff react when the CEO wants to be informed about and involved in every detail of the company, to the point that everyone feels as though they have someone looking over their shoulder all day long waiting for something to go wrong? And to the point that people are frozen in the decision making process for fear of someone running to the boss to tattle if they don’t like the decision? Where’s the line?
Micromanaging can be an effective practice for a high-level boss; but, like most everything, it must have limits. On the surface, a boss who is involved in all aspects of the company is better than an absentee boss on the golf course. But in many aspects, micromanagement can be a dirty word, hence the exasperated phrase that we’ve all heard or even felt: “I feel like I’m being micromanaged!”
This feeling of employees having “someone looking over their shoulder all day long waiting for something to go wrong” creates a horrendous work environment. Yet for a certain Type A boss, this feels like the natural definition of “boss.” They feel a desire to have their tentacles in everything, to be the ultimate decision maker on any decisions, so that they, like Harry Truman, can put a sign on their desk stating “The buck stops here.”
The key to solving your problem is to find a way to remind the CEO of the tried-and-true management structure, by which the CEO appoints and relies on competent managers, and competent employees, to deliver his or her mission without having to hover over their shoulder. This is, of course, easier said than done.
If the scenario you describe is as wide-spread as you say, then you’re not alone in your feeling of dread. There is strength in numbers, so that’s what you need to gather if you’re going to break the news — gently break the news — to your boss that his management style does more harm than good. If one person tries to point out the problem, then they are a troublemaker. If everyone points out the problem, then your CEO will realize that he is the troublemaker.
A CEOs time is best spent focusing on the big decisions, not the daily decisions. Yet you describe an atmosphere where employees are “paralyzed” in making those daily decisions for fear that someone who objects will run to the big boss. “The buck stops here” was meant to symbolize that Truman was ready to make the ultimate decision should his lower-level leaders “pass the buck.” This may be effective for the President of the United States; it’s counter-productive if you’re the CEO of a company. If managers and employees feel “paralyzed” to make daily decisions, then the buck always ends on the CEO’s desk, taking him or her away from the big decisions. It dilutes the power of the mid-level managers, fosters an environment where it’s OK to go over your manager’s head, and makes the entire structure less effective.
Now back to stopping this. Again, it’s going to be tough, and it will take unity and some serious cojones from management. When the time is right — this could be during a management meeting — someone needs to broach the subject, and then they must receive immediate backup from all of the other managers. A chorus is louder than a soloist. Again, this should be done gently, and best done with concrete examples. Point out instances where this management system has “paralyzed” operations. Point out specific examples where the “over-the-shoulder” management has harmed productivity. And point out examples where tattling to the boss has diluted the power of the management. Put it all on the table and make your case.
And then wait.
If it’s going to work, it will take time. Your CEO may become overly hesitant at first, weary of stepping into any decision. You don’t want this, either. Hopefully, a productive system will eventually form where the managers and employees feel their competency has been rewarded with trust, but where the CEO is also the final word.
Then again, it might not work. Ego is a son-of-a-gun. It doesn’t like to be rearranged. If nothing changes, and your office continues in this stifling system, then you always have your resume and the classifieds to help you find an environment you do like.
Have a workplace-ethics dilemma? Ask it here, or email wherestheline@gmail.com
