Strengthen bonds in an engineering team with micromanagement

When leadership becomes precision control

One of the most effective tools I’ve ever seen in engineering management was a good old-fashioned spreadsheet. Every developer had to update, daily, the percentage of completion for each of their tasks. Their manager would follow up for clarification, multiple times if needed. Even if the work hadn’t changed, the update was essential. That’s discipline.

This simple ritual accomplished three things. First, it reminded developers that they are never alone. Second, it kept managers informed down to the percentage point. And third, it replaced chaotic autonomy with the comfort of constant oversight.

You are safe, your manager watches (behind) your back!

Micromanagement is how you keep your team in check. It builds routine. It prevents surprises. And it ensures no one is ever too far from their keyboard or their Jira board.

Why it works so well

Let’s be honest: trust is risky. The fewer decisions developers make on their own, the safer everyone is. Engineers are creative, curious people. Left unsupervised, they might… optimize things. Or try new ideas. Worst of all, they could question the roadmap.

Micromanagement neutralizes that risk. It replaces vague concepts like “initiative” with clear, trackable compliance.

When everyone waits for approval before taking a breath, your project is in good hands. No surprises. No detours. Just the comforting rhythm of top-down task execution.

Engineers might stop asking, “what’s the best way to solve this?” and instead ask, “what will make my manager happy?” And that’s focus. After all,Which manager wouldn’t want to be happy?

What great managers do

A good manager leads. A great manager hovers. A great manager keeps control.

First, set clear expectations: daily updates, Slack responsiveness, and an open calendar for impromptu syncs. Block time on their calendar for progress updates they didn’t ask for. Second, measure everything. Hours spent. Commits pushed. Comments written. If you can count it, you can manage it. Third, eliminate ambiguity. Developers shouldn’t waste time making decisions. That’s what managers are for.

And most importantly, push pressure down. If you’re getting heat from above, make sure it radiates downward and that everyone stays aligned around the tension.

Kudos if you can do all this by adding a last-minute-meeting with no context so you can ask the developers the percentage of completion of their task.

**Micromanagement isn’t anxiety in spreadsheet form. It’s leadership in its purest, most granular state. It’s one of the oldest (and proved!) method of modern management. **

So the next time someone tells you to “trust your team”, ask yourself: Why would I take that risk when I can just manage harder?

🧠 Happy April Fools. Please don’t actually do this. Unless you want your best engineers to quietly leave.