HAVE A MEANINGFUL CHINESE NEW YEAR
When MUST Leaders Micromanage
There are often misconceptions about micromanagement. Let me explain.
The late Tan Sri Dato' Dr Lee Shin Cheng* used to pick up loose oil palm fruits that had fallen from the bunches to the ground, reminding his managers that each fruit was worth 20 cents.
He never failed to patrol his estates on foot, seeing for himself what was really going on the ground. Ditches must be kept clean. How else can one notice and pick fruits when weeds are thriving? His itinerary was kept random while at the same time aimed at low-performing estates.
Tan Sri’s brilliance in choosing “what” and “when” to micromanage not only sent a message to the entire organisation on the culture needed to succeed but also made his estates the most productive in the world.
The Managing Director and top management of a multinational semiconductor company practice walkabouts during lunch hours switching off lights left idle. Thus, sending a message that prudence is key to success. Every cent contributes to the bottom line. The message is simple and clear. Even shop-floor workers and the janitors can understand.
Bosses and leaders in the Fast-Moving Consumer Goods industry practice “Market Working”. They diligently visit supermarkets and grocery outlets to inspect their products on the shelves vis-à-vis competitors’. No amount of advertising ringgit, innovative product development or branding will work if we fail where it counts the most, at the point of purchase – the shelf space.
Bosses must micromanage.
It’s a matter of what and when. Picking the right ones require a strategic and deep understanding of the business. It is not about overseeing every detail. We micromanage areas that can create a chain reaction that builds the culture needed to make both our people and organization great.
Closer to home, parents must micromanage what their kids watch on social media and who they hang out with as these come with long-term consequences, be it positive or negative.
Let us add value.
Have a meaningful Chinese New Year
Peace, anas.
*We highly recommend reading, “The Tree Whisperer”. The official biography of the late Tan Sri, Founder of the IOI Group.
Picture caption
Tan Sri Dato' Dr Lee Shin Cheng (1939–2019), the founder of the IOI Group, was a hands-on leader, known as the “Tree Whisperer” due to his affinity to oil palm.
