Micromanagement Is Not A Bad Word, Particularly In Sales
Posted by
Paul Alves on Wed, Nov 09, 2023 @ 04:49 PM
Why is it that the term micromanage has such a negative connotation? How many times have you heard, “I don’t like to be micromanaged” or “I don’t like to micromanage”. Why not? What is so terrible about being micromanaged or micromanaging, if your productivity or the productivity of your team can be improved as a result?
Let’s face it; some people need to be micromanaged. Not everyone is a driven self starter. I would argue that most of us aren't. Some job functions need to be micromanaged to get the most productivity. For instance in my company we track stats daily, like number of outbound calls, emails, and quality conversations. While our focus is on passing fully qualified sales opportunities that progress to forecast, it is important to know in real time that we are tracking the activities that ensure we succeed for our clients.
When I was a sales rep, I never really minded being micromanaged. Frankly it made me work harder, and when I worked harder I made more money. As a sales manager I experimented with several different styles. The more interactive I was the better results I got. I always start with a long term goal and build all the way back to the daily/weekly activity necessary to stay on track. I would reach out to my direct reports, sometimes on a daily basis to ensure we were on track to meet and exceed our goals. As a result, I very rarely missed my goals, most often exceeding them.
Now, I’m sure you are saying to yourself how annoying, his team must have hated to go to work. Not true, good people became great, marginal people became good and everyone made a little more, or in some cases a lot more money than we might have if we took a more relaxed approach.
It all comes down to how the process is framed, if you come off like a task master who is in it for selfish reasons, you will create a culture and results that leave much to be desired. However if you are working as a team toward a mutually agreed upon goal, and are investing your time and expertise to ensure you all succeed, you will get the best possible results every time.
OK, I’m off to “check in” with a few of my managers...thanks for reading.