Micromanagers can be painful. Previously I had only thought about micromanagement as a disease and suggested ways to get around it. I thought of autonomy was the way to go – empower people to do their work.

This matrix puts things in a slightly different light. Autonomy happens when you are working with a High Skill + High Will person. In other case you need to manage differently. My big mistake was to expect and to provide autonomy on Day 1. I’d provide some support wheels but it definitely centred around autonomy. Often though, this autonomy gave the person some high initial motivation & when things went sour they move into a very low will quadrant(“I cant do anything right”). This meant that micromanagement would start & we’ll have to build upwards from there.

Useful to realize that micromanagement has its place – perhaps on route to autonomy.

Easiest way I think is to just so much to do that micro management is impossible.

If you are the micro manager- give yourself more work when you find yourself intruding too much. Or go to the gym!

If you are the managed- ask your questions or point out other things that you were not able to do 🙂