Are You a Micromanager?

The majority of U.S. employees say they have worked for a micromanager, according to a new survey from Accountemps. While such domineering practices were acceptable for prior generations, they're considered a major professional liability today. This is especially true for CIOs, given the independent nature of IT employees and the experimental demands of tech projects. So if you're perceived as always being "in the face" of your teams, the fallout could hurt your IT department—and your career. "Bosses micromanage for many different reasons," says Max Messmer, chairman of Accountemps and author of "Motivating Employees for Dummies" (John Wiley & Sons). "No matter how good their intentions, taking a heavy-handed approach typically hurts employee output, job satisfaction and, as a result, retention efforts. Personally making sure every 'T' is crossed might help avoid some mistakes. But the costs associated with failing to trust your team can have a longer-term impact." To avoid this, consider the following five telltale signs of being a micromanager, along with advice to rise above this. More than 450 U.S. employees participated in the research. For more about the survey, click here.