Micromanagement: creeping in and stealing everyone's energy

You don’t have to carry it all. When control fails, empowerment scales.

Author

Jen Phillips
September 23, 2025

Hi, It's Jen.

I once had a boss who (and I was a senior exec at the time!) explained to me exactly how to format my status updates.

Font size. Bullet spacing. The works.

The irony? The same leader also complained every week about their team’s lack of initiative.

Sound familiar? I hope not. But for too many leaders, micromanagement sneaks in quietly. Not because you’re a bad leader, but because you’re trying to survive.

In today's issue:

Read time: 6 minutes

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Tech managers used to have 6–8 direct reports. Now it’s 12–15. Same hours. Same YOU.

That’s nearly double the management responsibility, and it leads to exactly the opposite of empowerment: less mentoring, more control, and trust eroding fast.

  • Only 56% of tech workers say they feel heard, eroding trust and psychological safety.

  • With only 21% of employees strongly agreeing that they trust leadership, micromanagement creeps right in.

The result? A cycle where leaders over-carry, teams wait for permission, and innovation stalls.

And that is absolutely no one’s definition of success.

Ambition

At Salesforce, I hit this wall hard. A reorg shifted my leadership team of 8 direct reports to nearly 20 overnight. Micromanaging wasn’t even an option.

So I tried something “radical”: I confirmed with my leadership team what we needed, why it mattered, and when it was due. Then I said: “The how is up to you.”

The result? A better boat. Not perfect. But it floated.

And the data matches my experience: leaders who coach instead of control see 2x engagement and 3x innovation.

Here’s the paradox: you can’t micromanage 15 people. But you can empower them.

And that works better for everyone.

GO | DO: Start Here

Estimated time: 5 minutes initially | Estimated energy: minimal

This week, the Empowerment Equation has three steps, but you can start with just one.

Spot the Bottleneck

(5 minutes, daily)

Look at your calendar. Where are people waiting on you for approval that they don’t really require? Give the green light.

With your boss? Flip it. Ask: “What’s the ideal outcome and timing so I can propose the how?”

Do this first, then add the next steps as you’re ready.

When you’re ready, solve for The Empowerment Equation:

Clear outcomes + Supported autonomy = A team that solves problems better than when you were in control.

Define Clear Outcomes

(20 minutes, weekly)

In your next 1:1 or team meeting, use the "what/why/when, you decide how" framework:

  • “Here's what we need [outcome], why it matters [context], and when [timeline]. The how is up to you."

  • Confirm guardrails and constraints and how you’ll support when it’s needed

With your leader: When you get a new request, ask:

  • "Help me understand the ideal outcome, priority, and time constraints so I can propose the best approach."

Supported Autonomy

(5 minutes, daily)

Replace status-check meetings with blocker-focused check-ins. Consider a Slack or Teams workflow that flags when blockers happen.

  • Not: tell me everything.

  • But: Tell me progress made and flag what's blocking you and how I can remove obstacles?"

  • When blockers happen (and they will), coach don't solve:

    • "What have you tried? What support do you need?"

With your leader: Instead of asking for micro-decisions, bring clear options:

  • "I see three approaches to X. I recommend Y because Z. Should I move ahead or do you have a different approach?"

What’s In It For All Of Us

The empowerment equation is about leading well without carrying it all.

  • Model clarity with your boss → your team feels safe asking for clarity.

  • Coach instead of solve → you break the permission-seeking cycle everywhere.”

🚤 It’s building a better boat, together. More energized, more innovative, and much more enjoyable.

Quick favor: forward this email to someone who could use the empowerment equation. Making the workplace a healthier place is going to take all of us.

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Every empowering conversation you have, every time you choose to coach instead of control, you're not just changing your own work experience.

You're proving what's possible. How has empowerment or boundary-setting helped you (or your manager) show up for your team?

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