Re:Ask HN: How to manage developers who aren't very good?
by ArekDymalski on Friday February 06, 2015 @11:54AM
(#9009875)
> Of course, you don't want to micro-manage them every hour of the day; that's not scalable.
While some managers want to stay away from so called micro-managing at all costs (either because they are afriad that their employees won't like it or becuase they are lazy) it has to be said very clearly: There are certain situations when so called micro-management (very precisely set goals with clear metrics, large amount of detailed instructions, frequent controlling and immediate corrections) is absolutely necessary to push someone's growth forward. Of course such management style isn't scalable and ultimately must be changed when the employee's competences grow. It's just an investment into future performance.
Of course as in case of every investement you need to evaleate if it makes sense. Assuming that the employee has only one particular area that needs to be improved, the answer usually will be "yes".
While some managers want to stay away from so called micro-managing at all costs (either because they are afriad that their employees won't like it or becuase they are lazy) it has to be said very clearly: There are certain situations when so called micro-management (very precisely set goals with clear metrics, large amount of detailed instructions, frequent controlling and immediate corrections) is absolutely necessary to push someone's growth forward. Of course such management style isn't scalable and ultimately must be changed when the employee's competences grow. It's just an investment into future performance.
Of course as in case of every investement you need to evaleate if it makes sense. Assuming that the employee has only one particular area that needs to be improved, the answer usually will be "yes".