Micromanagement Sayings and Quotes

Below you will find our collection of inspirational, wise, and humorous old micromanagement quotes, micromanagement sayings, and micromanagement proverbs, collected over the years from a variety of sources.

We get so focused on micromanaging God and His Kingdom that we forget to realize that He is more than capable of handling things on His own! Bridget Willard
The “result” of micromanagement is perhaps tangible in the short run, but more often causes damage for the long term. Pearl Zhu
Invariably, micromanaging results in four problems: deceit, disloyalty, conflict, and communication problems. John Rosemond
Micromanagement is the destroyer of momentum. Miles Anthony Smith
In general, looking forward is great management; looking backward is micromanagement. Verne Harnish
We live in a world where the laws are getting so tight that management has changed to micro-management to quantum-management to paralysis. Jane Siberry
Macromanage, Not Micromanage Miles Anthony Smith
Micromanage the process, not the people. Joe Apfelbaum
You can't micromanage. People who try to do that often fall on their faces. Incentivize those who work with you so you get the best work you can. Every career is a team effort, even if you're the one in front. Michael Franzese
A boss who micromanages is like a coach who wants to get in the game. Leaders guide and support and then sit back to cheer from the sidelines. Simon Sinek
The best executive is the one who has sense enough to pick good men to do what he wants done, and self-restraint enough to keep from meddling with them while they do it. Theodore Roosevelt
Micromanagement is an obstacle to be overcome rather than a method to command. Terry Mixon
Trust is a core currency of any relationship. Sometimes our need to control and micromanage everything erodes our confidence in ourselves and others. The truth: People are much more capable than we think. A hearty dose of trust is often what's needed to unlock the magic. Go ahead, have faith. Kris Carr
Team members need to feel trusted and valued, and micromanaging communicates the opposite. Founders who are prone to manage every detail of their businesses will ultimately kill themselves as well as lose the support of team members. Learn to delegate key tasks and give credit. Martin Zwilling
You do not lead by hitting people over the head -- that's assault, not leadership. Dwight Eisenhower
When managers overdo micromanaging of others, they probably hired the wrong people or failed to give them a clear idea of what each one is to accomplish. I prefer to train employees to be self-managers, just as in an orchestra each performer knows his or her role without being micromanaged. Philip Kotler
Micromanaging erodes people's confidence, making them overly dependennt on their leaders. Well-meaning leaders inadvertently sabotage their teams by rushing to the rescue and offering too much help. A leader needs to balance assistance with wu wei, backing off long enough to let people learn from their mistakes and develop competence. Diane Dreher
Sometimes what happens is that, when you micromanage actors and moments, it just doesn't quite live. Susan Sarandon
In my experience, directors who are the most comfortable with themselves and confident in their work give you and everybody on the crew the freedom and the space to create. It's the people who are more insecure who feel the need to control and micromanage. Sarah Gadon
Micromanagement is mismanagement. … [P]eople micromanage to assuage their anxieties about organizational performance: they feel better if they are continuously directing and controlling the actions of others—at heart, this reveals emotional insecurity on their part. It gives micromanagers the illusion of control (or usefulness). Another motive is lack of trust in the abilities of staff—micromanagers do not believe that their colleagues will successfully complete a task or discharge a responsibility even when they say they will. Laszlo Bock
Micromanagers tell. Leaders ask. Jo Miller
It doesn't make sense to hire smart people and then tell them what to do. We hire smart people and they tell us what to do. Steve Jobs
Be the chief but never the lord. Lao Tzu
Authority—when abused through micromanagement, intimidation, or verbal or nonverbal threats—makes people shut down & productivity ceases. John Stoker
If you allow staff to own a project, you must trust in their capacity and avoid micromanagement, ... Be there to provide support when needed, but don't force yourself into the picture. Barbara Moses
None of us should wait to be told what to do, or how to do it. Micromanagement kills initiative, judgment and creativity. David H. Maister
Micromanagement is the motivational equivalent of buying on credit. Enjoy a better product now, but pay a hefty price for it later. Ron Friedman
Micromanaging is ridiculous. There's always a certain amount of dynamic tension, which is good because it stimulates creative thinking. But what we want to look for (in city government) is a balance where each body or group of people is fulfilling their role. Karin Uhlich
The conventional definition of management is getting work done through people, but real management is developing people through work. Agha Hasan Abedi
Real management is developing people through work. Agha Hasan Abedi