Whenever my boss gives me a task she insists on explaining exactly how I should complete it and when I should complete. She also sets a deadline and sends a reminder and checks in with me several times. I find that this is extremely annoying because often her way of doing things is different from mine and I think it takes the learning aspect out of it. I would prefer to be given a task with a little explanation and try doing it myself and ask questions if I get stuck. I think this an example of being overly controlling and not allowing for employee growth. I often feel like I am not able express my creative ideas or try new things because my bosses ways are so rigid. Even worse is that this leadership style damages the organization as well, because employees will not be innovative or motivated.
In looking at Box 9.8, I think this system of control is bureaucratic. The supervision is rigid and does not allow for creativity. I think that a concertive system of control would be more beneficial and allow for more employee involvement.
3 comments:
I'm sure most of us can relate to a micro-managing supervisor... ugh. I had one manager who was a brilliant technically, but very poor as a manager. He'd insist on being involved in most steps, then try to take over tasks out of frustration. Instead of helping, he'd end up holding up deadlines. A large part of "managing" is getting the most out of your employees and being a "facilitator" rather than a "supervisor". ;)
On another point, bureaucracy is not always bad. Bureaucracy has a bad reputation due to it's poor implementation and inefficiencies caused in many organizations. In the right context, the structure offered by bureaucracy may create efficiency and structure.
I totally agree with you. I believe micro-management confines one ability to think broadly and productively. It also takes away one's confidence that he or she has towards completing his/her job. I personally, when directed to a specific way of doing something without even letting me sway a bit away from the main topic, so that I can learn related aspects of one thing, makes me so much pressurized, strained and mindless sometime. Reason being, many people have different way of looking at things and solving them. Of course one method can be more efficient than other but assuming that the method that has been dictated to the employee is better than what he or she can do is completely wrong. The company where I used to work a year ago was one such company with a really bad management and I could not stand the way they dealt me. But thank God, now the manager I have is such an understanding person and now after realizing that I have knowledge, capability, and creativity to do things in a better way, he completely leaves the job to me. Of course at the end I provide him with results that make him happy, but I think just the way I have been treated now has given me a fresh thinking power and ability to work more efficiently.
I find the same situation in my own work environment. I had several managers who would follow me through each task, stop and correct me, instruct me on elementary things. My theory is that they did this because they interpreted my way of thinking and working according to their own paradigm. When they didn't see what they thought was progress, they would intervene. And now that I am in management (halfway) I have learned (from those who were "training" me) that part of this is a tactic to leave a paper trail. Constant check-ups and follow through is a way to demonstrate that the manager's bases are covered. Its irritating though, and I try not to do that.
Post a Comment