One of the most recognized advertisements of recent decades is 1984a short film directed by Ridley Scott for the launch of Apple’s Macintosh 128K. Inspired by the novel of the same name by the British writer George Orwell (1949), the advertisement portrays a world of gray characters in which the voice of Big Brother can be heard – an image then attributed to IBM, the competitor to beat – saying:
Our unification of thoughts is a weapon more powerful than any fleet or army on earth. We are one people, with one will, one determination, one cause.”
In this sinister environment, a young athlete carrying a large hammer is chased by the police. He manages to enter the auditorium where the image of the leader giving his reductionist speech is projected and throws the hammer against the screen. From the explosion emerge the then colorful Apple logo and the message: “On January 24, Apple Computer will present the Macintosh. And you will see why 1984 will not be like 1984.”
This advertisement is analyzed recurrently in the courses of marketing of business schools.
Forbidden to think
Orwell’s novel describes a dystopia in which not only behaviors but also thoughts are controlled. In a system ripe for false accusations, torture and arbitrary arrests, a special police force pursues houghtcrimes (thought crimes). Furthermore, the obedience of the subjects is not enough: they must suffer because that would be the guarantee that they do not follow their own interests. It’s an unfair system where dictators are cruel control freaks (control freaks).
Steve Jobsthen president of Apple, considered the Orwellian announcement a milestone in the company’s history.
Beyond its hyperbolic style, the advertisement put its finger on the sore spot of the monopolistic tendency in the large technology sector. Large companies operating there have frequently been denounced for anti-competitive practices, including Apple.
Jobs: control and leadership
Interestingly, Jobs himself has frequently been described as a control freak, capable of returning products to the design or production department if they did not meet his expectations. According to his biographerJobs’ perfectionism and desire to work with the best made him an impatient, petulant and harsh person with the people around him.
For Steve Bozniakco-founder of Apple and former friend of Jobs, Jobs’ contributions They could have been done without so many stories about him terrorizing people:
I like to be more patient and not have so many conflicts. I believe that a company can be a good family.”
In my Corporate Strategy classes, to study the different leadership styles We compare Jobs with Tim Cookhis successor at Apple, who, according to various analyses, has an opposite management style. Then I ask my students who they would like to work with: a demanding, direct boss who almost borders on rudeness, or a diplomatic and less harsh leader. Although there are answers for all tastes, most point out that, sometimes, working with geniuses pays off, even if they may hurt one’s sensibilities.
In my experience, we learn more when we receive a comment that hurts than when we only hear praise and flattery. You learn more from criticism than from congratulations.
The devil is in the details
You may have worked with a control freak, or even consider yourself one. This behavior is an expression of micromanagement, (the micromanagement), understood as the obsession with being in the details, due to excessive supervision of subordinates.
It tends to occur more frequently among people without managerial experience and is a sign of lack of self-confidence. He micromanagement It is also an expression of greed for power, a behavior opposite to the generosity that should be practiced in positions of command.
The American neuropsychologist Julia DiGangi proposes three questions that serve to determine if you tend to practice micromanagement:
- Do you ask a lot of questions of the people who depend on you?
- Do you perform checks too frequently?
- Do you give too much advice to your subordinates?
Logically, the key is in the frequency and what is considered too much. If you’re in doubt, you may have already engaged in some form of micromanagement.
Research shows, and intuition confirms, that micromanagement limits initiative and stifles innovation, while empowerment and critical thinking generate creativity and promote improvement and transformation. However, there are often situations in which leaders proclaim natural delegation as part of the company culture and then establish strict and abundant checks and controls.
DiGangi also points out that micromanagement generates anxiety in subordinates, is perceived as a lack of trust, and can also lead to getting infected within the organization. The human brain is programmed to be independent not only in the professional environment, but also in personal relationships and in the family environment. Therefore, he explains, it is normal for control freaks at work to also be control freaks at home.
Perfectionists and insecure
The roots of micromanagement are, fundamentally, perfectionism and lack of self-confidence. It is often explained that, as one moves up in a company, ignorance of the activity of the departments that report online grows. The impossibility of knowing in detail everything that happens under personal command, especially in large or diversified organizations, is what is known as black box management (managing black boxes).
A first recommendation to avoid excessive control over employees is to learn to live with uncertainty and partial knowledge of the issues. It is much more efficient to cultivate trust with the people who manage the departments that report to you than to try to control all the information and details.
The commitment to empowerment is compatible with periodically knowing the evolution of the activity but, rather than indicating how to proceed, it is preferable to agree on general objectives and let those responsible identify how to achieve them.
In a company with a culture of empowerment, there is usually no prior control of the making of many decisions, excluding the truly strategic ones. Therefore, in these contexts, it is good to favor agile decisions, without having to wait for committees or permissions. If a subordinate makes a decision that should have been collegial, rather than censure, it is preferable to say: “Well done for the speed, but next time, consult me.”
Learn to delegate
One of the most frequent reasons for enrolling senior managers in training programs coaching is that they learn to delegate, focus more on corporate strategy and avoid micromanagement.
An additional tip: you have to encourage feedback in both directionssomething uncommon, especially when there is a lack of trust. If it is practiced, the decisive thing is to assess that feedback and of course, do not overreact negatively, something common when you hear comments that you do not like.
Greed for power has an unhealthy manifestation in micromanagement. Perhaps the most important reason to avoid it is that if you insist on doing your subordinates’ work, perhaps you shouldn’t be leading them.
