Micromanaging Isn’t Leadership - It’s Anxiety with a Job Title.

Micromanagement is the workplace equivalent of keeping someone’s phone in your pocket “just in case.” It’s not about the phone - it’s about your fear of what might happen if you let go.

And here’s the thing most leaders won’t admit: micromanaging is rarely about the employee’s competence. It’s about the leader’s tolerance for uncertainty - and in most cases, that tolerance is running on fumes.

From a psychological perspective, micromanagement is an anxiety regulation strategy. When you’re stressed, your brain craves control, predictability, and tangible proof that things are being handled “correctly.” Hovering, over-checking, and redoing other people’s work temporarily soothes that anxiety - but it also signals to your team, I don’t trust you.

And here’s where it backfires: when people feel chronically distrusted, they disengage. They stop taking initiative. They stop bringing you solutions because they expect you to override them. You get more of the same behavior you were afraid of in the first place - and the cycle repeats.

Why it matters: Leaders set the emotional tone for their teams. If your leadership style is driven by unregulated anxiety, that anxiety becomes contagious. Teams in constant “prove yourself” mode tend to underperform, not because they lack skill, but because they’re stuck in survival mode instead of growth mode.

What to do instead:

• Get clear on whether the issue is actual performance or your discomfort with letting go.

• Replace hovering with structured check-ins so your need for updates doesn’t choke autonomy.

• Invest in your own emotional regulation - therapy, coaching, mindfulness, whatever helps you tolerate not having your hands on everything.

Because the truth is, leadership isn’t about doing the work for people - it’s about creating the conditions for them to do their best work without you breathing down their neck.

If you can’t trust your team, you either have the wrong people… or you’re the one in the way.

Disclaimer: This isn’t an attack on detail-oriented leaders - it’s an invitation to examine what’s driving the constant need to control.