Corporate Savannah · Episode 07 · 1:19

The Watchful Parent

Name: The Watchful Parent
Duration: 1 min 19 s
Description: Micromanagement is rarely malice. It is usually anxiety dressed as help. The cost is invisible at first: capable people learn to wait for permission, and the manager reads the waiting as proof that supervision was needed. Trust is not a reward for performance. It is very often the cause of it.

The hyena helps the gazelle, and helps, and helps, until she stops moving.

Field notes

Micromanagement is rarely malice. It is usually anxiety dressed as help. The cost is invisible at first: capable people learn to wait for permission, and the manager reads the waiting as proof that supervision was needed. Trust is not a reward for performance. It is very often the cause of it.