Can micromanagement actually be good?

Micromanager.

Does the word make you cringe?

I’ve certainly been on the receiving end of it.

I once worked for a sales leader who literally made us follow a voicemail script word for word—right down to practicing the exact inflections for specific phrases. If we missed a beat, we had to start over. Again. And again.

That experience certainly left a bad taste in my mouth, and I’m not alone. 

Micromanagement has a bad rap, especially with younger generations stepping into the workforce (see the recent LeadrPulse Newsletter for more on that).

But what if micromanagement isn’t all bad? 👀

There’s a book called The Ride of a Lifetime where Bob Iger recounts his 15 years as CEO of Disney and shares a story about his predecessor, Michael Eisner. Eisner believed that micromanagement was underrated, and he put that philosophy into practice when launching Disneyland.

During the final walkthrough of the park, Eisner noticed the walkways weren't wide enough for two families to pass each other comfortably. To him, this threatened the entire guest experience. So, he made the call to delay the park’s launch and expand the walkways by a foot or so.

I can imagine his team labeling him a micromanager for this. But was he wrong?

Eisner had a choice: delay the launch to get the details right or risk compromising the park experience and making costly adjustments later. As CEO, he believed diving into the details of something as critical as customer experience was essential—even if it meant being perceived as a micromanager.

He’s not alone in this belief. Mark Kosoglow, former CRO of Catalyst and SVP of Global Sales at Outreach, shared a similar hot take with me in the Season Two premiere of The LeadrPulse Podcast, which just dropped this morning.

In the episode, he shared this hot take with me: 

Some projects are so critical they demand micromanagement. 🌶️

And, in those cases, overcommunication and high-visibility processes might be exactly what's needed. 

Of course, not every project requires this level of involvement. We all know having leadership monitor every detail can be counterproductive. But the key, according to Kosoglow, is figuring out which initiatives truly need that extra level of oversight.

So how can you strike the right balance?

Here’s a quick breakdown of the micromanagement dilemma:

1. Strong team values – Decision-making becomes easier when it’s rooted in core values. One of ours at Leadr is Create Exceptional Customer Experiences. If I can tie a decision back to that, it provides clarity and purpose.

2. Clear communication – Be upfront about what you care most about. This sets expectations and lets your team know when you’ll be paying closer attention.

3. Consistency – When you choose to micromanage, stick to it. It’s about being clear on the why and when.

So, can micromanagement actually be used for good? I’d love to hear your thoughts.

Don’t miss today’s LeadrPulse Podcast episode, featuring our first guest on Season Two, and catch my co-host and CMO, Holly Tate and I follow up with how this concept plays out in our leadership. 

I’m pumped to be back on the mic with Holly. We both stepped into new roles as first-time parents since Season One, and we share our candid insights on navigating the dual challenges of leadership at work and at home in the teaser episode with dropped last week. Tune in here.

🎧 Watch The LeadrPulse Podcast on YouTube or listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or BuzzSprout—and be sure to subscribe so you never miss an episode.