CEO Reveals How Micromanaging Is Toxic In A Viral Open Letter To Employees
"I deeply resent how we've infantilised the workplace."
By Tamara Jayne — 30 May 2019, 05:43 PM
Micromanagers. We know them, we've worked with them, and some of us are them.
If you have been working for some time now, you've probably had your fair share of experiences with different types of employers.
Though there are a few great ones out there, there are also a handful of those we'd like to say "shaped our characters".
Regardless, one employer has recently gone viral for his open letter to employees.
This is Ian Sohn, president of a global digital agency in Chicago.
In a LinkedIn post last week, Sohn wrote how employees should never feel the need to apologise for "having lives" outside of work
"I never need to know you'll be back online after dinner. I never need to know why you chose to watch season 1 of 'Arrested Development' (for the 4th time) on your flight to LA instead of answering emails," he wrote.
"I never need to know you'll be in late because of a dentist appointment. Or that you're leaving early for your kid's soccer game."
"I never need to know why you can't travel on a Sunday. I never need to know why you don't want to have dinner with me when I'm in your town on a Tuesday night."
"I never need to know that you're working from home today because you simply need the silence," he continued.
The CEO shared that as leaders, there needs to be trust that employees will make the right decisions
"I deeply resent how we've infantilised the workplace. How we feel we have to apologise for having lives. That we don't trust adults to make the right decisions," he wrote.
"How constant connectivity/availability (or even the perception of it) has become a valued skill."
Sohn went on to say that he is truly grateful for the trust and respect he has received everyday from his peers, bosses, and teams.
However, he shared one experience where he felt otherwise:
"Years ago a very senior colleague reacted with incredulity that I couldn't fly on 12 hours notice because I had my kids that night (and I'm a single dad. edit: divorced).
"I didn't feel the least bit guilty, which I could tell really bothered said colleague. But it still felt horrible," Sohn admitted.
He ended his post by saying: "I never want you to feel horrible for being a human being."
However, others commented that applying such a principle is not that simple
