Question

In what ways does micro-managing play into group norms? Please, provide positive and negative examples if you can.

Answer 1

Micromanaging refers to trying to manage everything possible to have a control over all subordinates at work, members in family, members of social group or community. It is a style of management at workplace, where the manager interferes into work of subordinates even who are not direct reports and always try to have final say on even small matters.

Group norms can be defined as set of rules which influences and govern individual's behavior in the particular group. An individual act according to the rules set in the group ('I and me' concept of Mead). Example: Talking in low voice is a norm at workplace, it is followed by all individuals while at workplace. Imbibing alcohol at workplace is against to norms, so people avoid alcoholic beverages while coming to workplace or religious ceremonies.

Although micromanagement considered to impact negatively, it has some positive effects also. Let us consider some positive and negative effects of micromanaging on group norms:

1. Positive effects: Individuals may have personal objectives as well as group objectives. Example: Earning good incentives is personal objective/motive and making organization grow by contributing service is professional/group objectives. If individuals giving more importance to personal growth and neglecting the organization, then it will hinder organization growth and affect all members of group. Micromanagement here ensures all actions taken by all members are in-line with organizational objective resulting in personal growth with organization growth. In social/community setting also, micromanaging sometimes ensures everything is done in manner to achieve objectives of the society and benefit all.

2. Negative effects: Members of group at workplace may get irritated by micromanaging and feel loss of peace of mind while contributing their service. Sometimes over vigilance on employee may result in separation of employee from organization due to frustration. The members of organization lose independent decision making skills resulting on over dependence on authority. Even authority by micromanaging will be overburdened. The relationship between members of group and authority will get deteriorated. Group norms will get affected by rebellion behavior of members due to frustration arising from micromanagement. Example: If the manager tries to have all control within self rather than delegating authority to subordinates, then it will affect feel of self pride of subordinates and result in willful violation of norms set for progress of organization.