ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Micromanagement

Have you ever played with tiny little toys like action figures or toy cars? Imagine if someone stood over you and told you exactly how to play with each toy, every step of the way. That would be annoying, right? Well, that's kind of what micromanagement is like.

Micromanagement is when a boss or supervisor doesn't trust their employees to do their work well without constant supervision. They may tell their employees exactly how to do something, step by step, instead of letting them use their own judgment and creativity. Imagine if your teacher told you exactly how to color in every picture instead of letting you choose your own colors and designs. That wouldn't be very fun, would it?

Micromanagers may also check up on their employees constantly throughout the day, asking for updates and progress reports. It's like when your mom checks on you while you're playing, and asks what you're doing every five minutes. It can be very irritating!

Micromanagement often makes employees feel like they're not trusted or respected, and can lead to a lack of motivation and commitment to their work. It's important for managers to give their employees some freedom and trust to do their jobs well, without standing over their shoulders all the time.