Why do NCOs micromanage their NCOs?

The good ones don't, unless that subordinate needs it.

SGT, the task is, needs to be done by, you have X, Y and Z to get it done, let me know when its finished or what and why you cant. QUESTIONS? , Good, ....why are you still standing here??????????

As SGM Erik Marquez once said in a different thread.....and what other Senior NCOs have also said........trust but verify. If you have trust in your NCOs, give them the mission and let them loose. Sure, follow up to see that it was done to the Commanders intent, but trust they get it done. If you have to micromanage your NCOs, then either you or they...or both....shouldn't be an NCO.

Micromanagement is not restricted to NCOs. You have it at all supervisory/leadership relations anywhere, MIL, commercial, Boy Scouts, Church. Anytime you have someone in charge of something, you can get this. So what causes it? Although everyone has their own observation, a few common threads emerge. For the most part, people are not taught to manage well. They learn by observing and then repeat the behavior, good or bad. Then there is the person who thinks they're superior to everyone else and ensures people do things exactly as they'd do it. Then there are the insecure, self doubting, fearful types who meddle in everything because they're scared. Then there are those who've suffered shock treatment and become micros with a vengeance. I knew an LT who was a trusting macro. Good guy. Then he had some tours elsewhere and then came back as a flaming micro Alpha Hotel. He obviously had a load of bricks dropped on him, so his reaction was to go full micro as a defensive mechanism. His career ended shortly thereafter but unfortunately wound up as a senior civil servant who got to share his paranoia with a new crowd.

The bigger question is how do you tamp down on a micro culture. It's the Nike motto: Just do it. Good leadership knows that micro overall is bad and overly macro is bad also. So as Skipper I set the tone and expected my CoC to exhibit/push good leadership skills. Act how you want your subordinates to act. My SELs had a large role in getting the NCO community on the right sheet of paper. You then reward those who get it and ensure those who don't have risen to their level of incompetence. That's why I always had my "Rule of Thirds". Those you push to guaranteed promotion. Those you don't harm. Those you do. The evaluation system, for all it's PC garbage speak words, really means you have to think in those terms. Make sure the micros are in the bottom third.