Are you a micromanager? You probably don't think so, but chances are you are one simply because it's very hard not to be, writes Ron Ashkenas, managing partner of Schaffer Consulting. In a strange paradox, a lot of people complain about being micromanaged, and yet few people admit to micromanaging.

Ashkenas confesses that when he first began managing other consultants, he required them to obtain his approval before sending email or any other communications to clients. He also made them report to him after any contact with clients. At the time he thought the requirements made sense, and even though in retrospect he sees them largely as unnecessary, he's hard pressed to change his ways.

"Just recently one of our newer consultants took on an assignment with a long-standing client--and despite knowing that he's experienced and capable, I found myself constantly asking him to report on his progress. While my anxiety was reduced, I actually added little value in the end," he writes in a post at Harvard Business Review.

All managers are likely to find themselves in this kind of position at one point or another, but they aren't likely to realize it. People have a tendency to rationalize behavior, but it isn't productive.  

To break the cycle, managers have to admit that they might be viewed as micromanagers and ask their employees for feedback. There may be controls that need not be so strict, and there may be ways of remaining plugged in without having to always check up on subordinates. The exercise may not only improve your management skills, but it may further empower your team.

For more:
- see Ron Ashkenas' post at Harvard Business Review

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