# Micromanagement in kitchens



## chrisbristol (Feb 16, 2014)

When do feel that management becomes micro management in a kitchen? I think management in a kitchen is extremely important but micromanagement is generally regarded as a bad thing.

There are a few times that I have thought this might be the case. I was once told by a chef to use a different peeler. Even though it got exactly the same result just slower because I was better with the other peeler. I was once told by a chef to use a pallet knife to butter bread instead of a normal cutlery knife. Again same result just slower. I was once told by a chef not to have a prep list. If he was telling me to have one I wouldn't call that micromanagement just common sense but to tell someone not to use one seems a bit lke micromanagement.

Thoughts?


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## cheflayne (Aug 21, 2004)

Micromanagement occurs when I am told to do something a different way then the way I doing it. LOL... But then management's job is to make sure that things are done the way they want things done ( not necessarily the right way or the better way, *their *way)... Does it get taken to extreme? Oh hell yeah!...Does it bother me? Oh hell yeah!... But that is because I allow it to bother me. When I don't allow it to bother me, life somehow seems better.


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## chefwriter (Oct 31, 2012)

For me the difference lies in whether or not knowledge is being passed on. As an example, I was part of a crew helping hand make tortellini. After I had already made a few, the Chef de Cuisine showed me how to pinch and fold them better. The difference between what I made before and what I made after was subtle but distinct. 

     If I haven't learned anything and the intent was not to teach me anything but to simply give direction for direction sake, that is micromanagement.


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## panini (Jul 28, 2001)

Micromanage is the opposite of pigeon management. A pigeon manager is one who walks in and tells you your doing something the wrong way. Then says get someone to show you how to do it. In other words, they fly in, poop all over, and fly away.


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## chefross (May 5, 2010)

chefwriter said:


> For me the difference lies in whether or not knowledge is being passed on. As an example, I was part of a crew helping hand make tortellini. After I had already made a few, the Chef de Cuisine showed me how to pinch and fold them better. The difference between what I made before and what I made after was subtle but distinct.
> 
> If I haven't learned anything and the intent was not to teach me anything but to simply give direction for direction sake, that is micromanagement.


Spot on!!!

If a manager consistently looks over shoulders, opens lids to look inside, explains things that are already done that way, actually gets in the way and does more harm than help, _*THAT*_ is micromanaging.


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## chrisbristol (Feb 16, 2014)

cheflayne said:


> Micromanagement occurs when I am told to do something a different way then the way I doing it. LOL... But then management's job is to make sure that things are done the way they want things done ( not necessarily the right way or the better way, *their *way)... Does it get taken to extreme? Oh hell yeah!...Does it bother me? Oh hell yeah!... But that is because I allow it to bother me. When I don't allow it to bother me, life somehow seems better.


I'm pretty certain that I didn't say that. Every manager wants things to be have a certain end result but to tell someone to use a different peeler just because they don't like it is micromanagement.


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## chrisbristol (Feb 16, 2014)

I wasn't really referring to situation like that, that is just being helpful.


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## chrisbristol (Feb 16, 2014)

chefwriter said:


> For me the difference lies in whether or not knowledge is being passed on. As an example, I was part of a crew helping hand make tortellini. After I had already made a few, the Chef de Cuisine showed me how to pinch and fold them better. The difference between what I made before and what I made after was subtle but distinct.
> 
> If I haven't learned anything and the intent was not to teach me anything but to simply give direction for direction sake, that is micromanagement.


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## cheflayne (Aug 21, 2004)

ChrisBristol said:


> I'm pretty certain that I didn't say that. Every manager wants things to be have a certain end result but to tell someone to use a different peeler just because they don't like it is micromanagement.


You are correct, you didn't say that; I did and it was my tongue in cheek opinion on my definition and view of what constitutes micromanagement.


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