Hi Liane,
Micro-management is a by-product of a basic trust issue with either the process, people or both. Managers who are hesitant to delegate work for fear that the final product wouldn't be as they would have done it are perfect examples of this theory. Personally, I allow quite a bit of latitude on the way things are done and put the biggest concern on deadlines and outcomes. This gives me time to role-model behaviors that my team could apply to their work. It is commonplace to have my instructors mumble to themselves "How would Marty do this". I am not saying I exist in a perfect world nor am I a perfect example of how to do things. I have issues just like any manager, but they are easier to solve if coaching and being a mentor is substituted for looking over peoples' shoulders waiting for something bad to happen...no matter how long it takes. If a team member doesn't respond to this then putting more heat on them will do no good either. That's the time to explore other options - like evaluating the capability and/or willingness of that person to do that job.
