💭 Micromanagement — When Control Comes from Fear

I’ve noticed a pattern over the years: the more insecure the manager, the tighter the grip on control.
And I don’t mean healthy structure or care for results — I mean true micromanagement, where you can barely breathe.

Often, it’s not about malice or bad intentions. It’s much simpler than that.
Sometimes, the person in the big chair feels they’re not quite up to the task.
Sometimes, they fear their employees might turn out to be sharper, more experienced, more resourceful.
And worse — that others might notice it too.

That’s when the “rescue plan” kicks in:
— Micromanage every little thing.
— Redo employees’ work.
— Suppress initiative.
— Withhold information about trainings or development opportunities.
— “Forget” to share details that could help the team succeed.

The less the team knows, the smaller the chance anyone outshines the boss.

From the outside? It looks like order.
Inside the team? Distrust. Frustration. Burnout.
People stop thinking. Stop growing. And eventually — they leave.
And the cycle starts all over again.

Here’s the paradox: strong leaders are not afraid of strong employees. They nurture them.
They know — having smart, proactive people around isn’t a threat. It’s your strength.

Micromanagement is really just armor for your own fears.
But that armor doesn’t protect.
It slowly destroys what could’ve been a real team.

That’s my kitchen table rambling for today. Maybe I’m overthinking it… or maybe — not. Share your thoughts — let’s figure it out together.