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Micromanage. We all know the word, one considered a bad word in business.

Employees will say: “My boss doesn’t trust me.”

And bosses? They’ll say “I hire good people and throw them out there and if there are problems I reel them back in.” Many times it’s done in fear of wearing the “micromanager” label.

Quint Studer.

No one wants to be a micromanager, but that doesn’t mean micromanaging shouldn’t exist. I’m here to talk about this popular topic, and in some ways, erase the stigma that micromanaging is always a bad thing.

If it is a sign of distrust, it can be detrimental. In others, it’s a sign of concern and good leadership. It’s often better for the business to spend the time up front to make sure things are done. This week I focus on the supervisors and how they can implement micromanagement in a positive and effective way.

(And next week, my column will focus on what to do ensure you’re not being micromanaged.)

When you feel you’re being micromanaged, keep in mind that’s rarely the intent of the supervisor. It’s likely that the supervisor is trying to help. A disconnect comes when the supervisor doesn’t explain why he or she is doing what they are doing.

When a person says to me “I am being micromanaged,” I ask why he or she feels that way. Often it’s not the feeling of micromanagement in their entire 40-hour workweek, but just in a few areas of the job. To reinforce this, I ask, “What else to you do outside of the micromanaged areas?” Usually there is a long list of responsibilities in areas where the person does not feel micromanaged. I try to show them that it perhaps is only happening on a couple areas where the supervisor wants to ensure you’re ready for the task.

I have my own experience with this. I was working with a large organization several years ago and it sent 13 of its regional leaders to training. One of them came up to me after a presentation and asked if I could speak to the corporate executives about all the micromanaging that they have been doing. Before I fulfilled this request, I pulled one of the other regional leaders aside and asked if he was being micromanaged. He said no, and in fact said he liked how much he was left alone to do his job.

I had lunch with the corporate executives later that day and strategically brought both of these leaders up in conversation. The one who felt he had freedom to work? The corporate executives raved about him. He always hit his goals. The one who said he was micromanaged? “He needs oversight. … He hasn’t hit his goals.”

Ultimately, I find the more a person shows they perform well and achieves goals, the less they are micromanaged.

Here are some tips if you are a supervisor on micromanagement:

— Go over duties with each team member and talk about how you see their skill set. Discuss where each person will need more development and training, and be sure and highlight the areas where development won’t be needed. This helps employees see when they will receive more management attention and when they will not.

— Share with person why they will be more tightly managed. This is a must for new employees and employees moving into new roles or responsibilities. This can really get the person off to a good start, because you want to be helpful and you care about them. Have you ever taught someone how to ride a bike? You don’t throw them on the seat, let them go and help them get up after they are hurt. We micromanage each aspect and let go when we have confidence the person can be successful.

When an employee understands the explanation, he or she will see the tight management as a process until the skill is proven. And it is much clearer that it’s being done because the boss cares about them, not to annoy them.

— Use a code to show the person to what extent they need supervision contact and oversight. List all the actions and use an A-B-C system. Put an “A” by things the employee can move full speed ahead on without checking with you.

The letter “B” is for move full speed ahead, but check in at agreed upon times. This helps check milestones and learn how something is working to share with others.

The “C” means do not move forward until the supervisor approves. These actions and decisions require the leader to make sure communication is in place and the impact is understood. I have given these tips to many people during our Studer Community Institute roundtable discussions and we have received a lot of positive feedback.

If you would like to learn more about this topic and more, visit http://www.QuintStuder.com and http://sslof.local