Micromanaged or Given No Guidance.....Your Choice

I'll take No Guidance Given, there is ample ways to find knowledge about a job or position, failure sometimes is the best teacher. Micromanaging decreases efficiency, creativity, and ultimately ruins morale. Having someone on your back at all times if you are right or wrong drives down any motivation to actually complete the task given until the micro-manager comes around and finished their tyrant speeches.

I would rather be given no guidance every time any micro-managed a single time. For me when someone tries to micro-manage me it makes me feel like they don't have any confidence in my abilities. On the flip side if I am going to micro-manage you then I might as well do it myself.

Easy choice. No guidance. We are used to figuring things out with little or no direction anyways.

I would have to say no guidance. As long as I start the position with clear understanding of what my job is then any mission within that framework is much easier to accomplish. However it is extremely frustrating in both instances. I've been down both paths in my career. No idea what was expected of me and getting yelled at for not doing what I didn't know needed to be done, and being yelled at for doing things a different, and I felt better way. In both instances I feel there is a lack of quality leadership. I've always tried to give clear guidance on what I expect to happen and allowed my subordinates to figure out the how part

If those are my choices then I am going with no guidance.

to be honest it depends on your team if you have a squad of new Soldiers, then its gonna take guidance to show them how to do the job in the first place but once they're use to taking on certain task, then you can step away from giving guidance and allow them to work it out on their own. So use guidance if your team lack experience.

If given the mission, I would prefer no guidance

I am going to say it depends.

If I am dropped cold into something with no intent or guidance to even determine what my mission or job is; then I am not going to be successful no matter how innovative or resourceful I am. It truly becomes taking a stab in the dark at something and hoping to find the bullseye. I have been in this situation before and it was a nightmare. I thought I was doing exactly what needed to be done (growing the business, increasing revenue, increase customer satisfaction) when the intent was that I would maintain the current situation as is. Well, there is no coming back from growth.

Conversely speaking, if I understand at least some symblance of my job....then I would prefer to be given no guidance. Often I learn the best and perform the best when I am permitted to review my resources and develop my own plan.

It is nice though when you have someone that you can turn to when you have questions, need guidance, or just need to bounce ideas off of. Someone non-obstrusive, but supportive in the same right. It helps keeps things on track and at a high-level of performance....especially in the FRAGO-minded world of the military.

How about neither? How about give goals with left and right limits?

Gotta clarify...am I thinking back to my military career, or does the question apply to the civilian careers of veterans as well?

Guidance, please. (snicker)