Micromanagement Isn’t Always Obvious: Here’s How to Spot It in Your Leadership Style
When You Never Take a Day Off, You're Not a Hero—You're a Bottleneck.
Last year, I worked with a client who refused to take a single day off.
Not for a cold. Not for a mental health day. Not even for a vacation.
His exact words?
"The moment I’m not there, everything collapses. I’ll just have more work to do when I get back."
And honestly?
That wasn’t just paranoia. It was his lived experience.
But the real issue wasn’t his team.
It was how much he was still in the middle of everything.
Micromanagement Doesn’t Always Look Like Hovering
We throw around the word micromanaging a lot in leadership circles. But most managers don’t actually believe they’re doing it.
They’re not redoing people’s work.
They’re not nitpicking font choices on slides.
They’re not sitting in on every call.
So they assume they’re in the clear.
But here’s the truth:
Micromanagement often hides in the small decisions.
It sounds like:
“It’ll be faster if I just handle this.”
“I’ll just fix it real quick.”
“They’re not ready for this level yet.”
But when you're the one solving all the little problems—before your team even has a chance to try—you're not empowering.
You're babysitting.
What Happens When You Don't Step Back?
Your team never builds the confidence or capability to handle things without you.
And ironically?
That’s what creates the exact dynamic you were trying to avoid:
A team that falls apart when you're not around.
You can’t scale a business, department, or initiative when every decision and answer lives in your head.
And you can’t grow a team if you're the one doing all the growing.
So… What Do You Actually Do About It?
If you're noticing that your team can't seem to function without your constant input, it’s time to ask yourself a few hard questions:
Do I step in before they have a chance to solve it?
Even when it’s faster, you’re robbing them of learning.Am I clear on who owns what?
Lack of role clarity often creates decision paralysis.Do I follow up too quickly?
If someone says, “I’m on it,” and you check in two hours later, you're not showing trust.Have I ever actually told them I want them to lead?
You’d be surprised how many teams just think, “Well, they must want to handle it.”
Your Team Needs Space. Not a Shadow.
Leadership isn’t about knowing the answers.
It’s about helping others grow into someone who can find the answers themselves.
If you're always solving, deciding, fixing, or stepping in...
you're not leading. You're limiting.
Take the day off.
Watch what happens.
If it all breaks, don’t panic. That’s your data. That’s your opportunity.
Because fixing that?
Is how you actually grow.
Need help building a team that doesn’t need hand-holding?
That’s literally what I do. Let’s talk about your goals.