Mgt87500 - You're Driving Us Crazy: You've Got to Back off

You’re Driving Us Crazy.  You’ve got to Back Off

California Southern University

MGT 87500

October 20, 2017

Dr. Janet Booker

Case Analysis: You’re Driving Us Crazy.  You’ve got to Back Off

Micromanaging

Introduction

        Micromanaging can be a difficult habit to break.  One might decrease their tendencies by characterizing themselves as a “control freak” or by claiming that they like to stay close to their subordinates, when in fact these are excuses for excessive interferences.  Micromanagers dictate how to do a task, keep a close watch on the smallest detail, refusing to delegate any decisions (Hills, 2017).  Alternately, macro managing involves thinking of the big picture, shortening the decision making process time and using only pertinent information to complete a task.  Doug Rauch, of Trader Joe’s grocery chain, is a micromanager who described himself as a “controlaholic”.

Analysis

        Doug Rauch, a retired president of Trader’s Joes’s, assumed the responsibility to expand and operationalize Trader Joe’s to the East Coast.  Doug demonstrated narcissistic behavior, when he had the belief that no one else had the knowledge, experience and ability to accomplish such a complicated expansion project.  As the expansion project began, Doug was using authoritarian power which allowed him to persuade the employees to commit to Trader Joe’s culture and appreciate the value of details, necessary for a growing and successful company (Kreitner & Kinicki, 2013).

        Continuous micromanagement can lead to a decrease in employees’ motivation to contribute to the company’s goals and vision.  Equally as important is that micromanagers loose the chance to coach new potential leaders because employees are not given the freedom to demonstrate their potential and to learn from their mistakes.  Doug suddenly realized that his narcissistic behavior, obsessed with details and very close oversight of employees would be damaging to the company.  It was not, however, until a senior buyer who made an inspirational appeal, pointing out to Doug that he was micromanaging the training process, over controlling and suppressing the employees the opportunity to grow from their mistakes, by over exercising his legitimate power.  Doug used his referent power when he acknowledged his micromanagement behavior and excessive control.  He also used the consultation tactic by asking employees to provide him with ongoing feedback (Kreitner & Kinicki, 2013).  Subsequently, he demonstrated a shift from using authoritarian power to a consultation approach by asking employees their viewpoints and share ideas.