{"id":21272,"date":"2012-06-22T13:27:00","date_gmt":"2012-06-22T13:27:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/happyinthehills.com\/zentriathlete\/?p=21272"},"modified":"2026-04-12T20:37:38","modified_gmt":"2026-04-12T20:37:38","slug":"weekly-epiphany","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/happyinthehills.com\/zentriathlete\/2012\/06\/22\/weekly-epiphany\/","title":{"rendered":"Weekly Epiphany"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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How to manage a micro-manager???<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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So I wanted to pen an idea that came to me.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So, I came to realize that the most difficult thing to do is keep up with not the tasks or assignments but rather the overhead that is accompanying post tasks.  Typically I find this is what micro-mangers do, which causes those that are task doers and completers to get derailed.  In so doing, the performance of the task doer is interrupted and is then the focus is altered to focus completely on meeting the administrative overhead to supply the micro-manager information.  Typically this information isn\u2019t in a format that is easily synthesized by the requester and therefore it is asked for in multiple formats (more overhead).  As I was thinking this through it hit me like a brick.  This person whether they realize it or not uses this method not in an effort to besiege the task completer rather it is to contain them.  What i mean is as follows, the micro-manager employs a technique in a manner to dis-allow the task completer to rise to the same level or past.  This may be an active desire or completely unknown to the micro-manager.  At this point i am not attempting to engage what the intent is. more or less just identifying the actual technique and how to overcome it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Micro-manager uses the saturation of information requests to keep the task completer at bay or in chaos trying to identify methods to overcome the overload.\u00a0 This methodology is very astute.\u00a0 The micro-manager typically also starts this overload prior to tasks being completed or creating multiple tasks in parallel which provides a further layer of protection from the task completer identifying the tactics being used.\u00a0 This dis-allows the completer to identify strong methods to over come this tactic.\u00a0 however, from an information sharing standpoint, the major goal of the completer should only be to provide the information fast enough that the tables turn.\u00a0 Let me explain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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In modern project management an array of communication tools often exist.  It is my experience that the micro-managers insert themselves in the middle at times saying that they dis-like the information sharing tool or mechanism.  Why is this, the information overload is bearing back at them.  It wasn\u2019t as often apparent using only email as many messages and communication become so fragmented, the chaos created also create overhead and that kept the task completer buried in trying to keep up with the information overload.  Now on to the epiphany.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What we are truly seeking, at least me is to get the micro-manager off\/away from me completing tasks in a timely manner.  To do this, I am using the communication tool that is provided by my company.  this is a project management and tracking tool.  It also contains tools that allow task management, project planning and reporting (Business information metrics) to report on success\/failure and value it provides.  Now, this is where I suggest flipping the equation.  I provide incremental updates that are on-going during the task.  Some of these updates are short and quick, some describe more detail, but in the end the information is provided prior to the micro-mangers requesting it.  In fact because of this pro-active approach, the micro-mangers have tended to request this model (ok, if you say so).  this is when I opened the flood gates.  this allowed me the opportunity to supply information in a clear and concise format.  This information overload to the micro-manager then turns them into having to synthesize the information, often times with out the tacit skills required to decode the information that was sent to them in plain english.  The beauty in this model is the micro-manager nows has to manage the information overload and further also synthesizing the information correctly to their peers and colleagues.  Although this should not be the main reason that we do this, it sure does feel nice to provide a little \u2018take-that\u2019 when you are a task completer or lowly subject matter expert (SME).  Now the SME is positioned to be allowed to participate in providing information the micro-manager isn\u2019t able to provide b\/c the equation has been altered and they no longer have the cushion of time to synthesize information to at least make them tenable because the SME is overloaded in providing information.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

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EPIPHANY<\/h1>\n\n\n\n

Stain’d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Youtube<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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