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Micromanage: meaning, definitions and examples

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micromanage

 

[ ˌmaɪ.kroʊˈmæn.ɪdʒ ]

Verb
Context #1 | Verb

business management

To micromanage is to control and oversee the work of subordinates in an excessively detailed manner. This often results in a lack of independence and can lead to employee dissatisfaction. Micromanagement typically indicates a lack of trust in team members' abilities to perform their tasks effectively.

Synonyms

control, dominate, oversee, supervise

Examples of usage

  • The manager tends to micromanage his team, leading to frustration.
  • She felt stifled by her boss's micromanaging style.
  • Avoiding micromanagement can boost employee morale.
  • Micromanaging can prevent innovation within a team.

Translations

Translations of the word "micromanage" in other languages:

🇵🇹 microgerenciar

🇮🇳 सूक्ष्म प्रबंधन

🇩🇪 Mikromanagement

🇮🇩 mikromanajemen

🇺🇦 мікроменеджмент

🇵🇱 mikrozarządzanie

🇯🇵 マイクロマネジメント

🇫🇷 micromanagement

🇪🇸 micromanagement

🇹🇷 mikro yönetim

🇰🇷 미세 관리

🇸🇦 التحكم الدقيق

🇨🇿 mikromanagement

🇸🇰 mikromanažment

🇨🇳 微观管理

🇸🇮 mikromanagement

🇮🇸 smáforráð

🇰🇿 микроменеджмент

🇬🇪 მიკრომენეჯმენტი

🇦🇿 mikromenejment

🇲🇽 micromanagement

Etymology

The term 'micromanage' emerged in the 1970s, combining the prefix 'micro-', which comes from the Greek word 'mikros', meaning 'small', with 'manage', derived from the Italian word 'maneggiare', meaning 'to handle'. Initially, it was used in military contexts to describe a commanding officer who inspected every small detail of a subordinate's work. Over time, it transitioned into the business lexicon to describe a style of management where leaders involve themselves excessively in the minor details of their employees' tasks. The growing emphasis on productivity and efficiency in the workplace has popularized micromanagement, though it is often viewed negatively due to its association with lack of trust and empowerment for employees.

Word Frequency Rank

Ranking #38,599, this word is encountered relatively rarely in everyday English. It might appear in literary works or specialized texts but isn't essential for general communication.