Macro Leader vs Micro Manager

The fabled razor-backed micro manager, a beast so fierce it knows your every move. Before you even care, it has planned your coming month, and even year. If this micro monster has its way it would drink every ounce of creativity from your soul and not allow you to make any decisions, other than the decision to do what your told. 

All hilarity aside, this can be too true. Many of us have experienced a micro manager, or have some controlling tendencies. I will now make a case for macro leaders, as opposed to micro managers.

A macro leader builds relationships and manages through trust and delegation. They communicate vision, and listen to those they lead. They are willing to do things other people's way if it gets them to the over arching goal. A macro leader leaves work, confident knowing that their people can handle themselves. A macro leader can sleep at night.

A micro manager obsesses over details and manages through fear and continuous contact. They communicate stress, and give way too many instructions. They care more about how things get done, and lose sight of the big picture. A micro manager takes work with them everywhere worried about how/if things will get done. Micro managers start from the innocent seed of caring too much, and being a perfectionist. That can grow into what we call "control freak" tendencies.  A micro manager has a hard time sleeping because of their worry and stress.

Those are some traits of each, before i even ask i know everyone would rather have a macro leader as a boss. If not you need to get your face examined, you might have a concussion. Here are some profiles of how average person reacts under each a macro leader and micro manager.

A subordinate of a macro leader, feels like they contribute value to their team. They look forward to going to work to see their friends. They feel like they are aloud to have friends in their team/work place. Their work is more creative, and productive because they are motivated. They invest time and brain power into getting better at their job. They care about their job/task because they have been trusted, and they know their leader cares more about them than their job. Their job is more fulfilling.

A subordinate of a micro manager, does the least amount of work they can to get by without being punished. They count the minuets and seconds to the end of the day/shift/week. They take as many breaks as they are aloud. Their work is average at best, and lacks innovation and progress, and it often regresses. They don't care about the end product as long as their manager is off their back. They think all their manager cares about is their task, and not them as a person. Work is #1 on their things to loath list.

Some of these differences have to do with personal motivation. Yet on the whole is true for how people react to these styles of management.

What does This Follow?
People will actually follow a macro leader, no one willingly in their right mind follows micro managers. As a leader trust and delegation produces the best outcomes, fear makes zombies not followers. Spend the time to build relationships and trust with teammates or employees. The classic "they have to know that you care, before they care what you know" always applies.