For many growing Small and Medium Businesses (SMBs), there comes a “tipping point.” One day, you are a lean team of three or four people moving at lightning speed; the next, you are a team of fifteen, and suddenly, tasks are slipping through the cracks. The natural instinct for many leaders at this stage is to tighten the reins—to increase oversight, attend every meeting, and sign off on every line of code or marketing copy.
However, there is a fine line between necessary oversight and micromanagement. When a leader crosses that line, the very efficiency that fueled the company’s early growth begins to evaporate.
The Friction of Over-Management
In a project management context, excessive oversight creates a “tax” on productivity. When team members feel they are being watched at a granular level, several things happen:
