Recently I shared some thoughts on micromanagement with Tom Searcy and he shared them in his blog on Inc.
http://www.inc.com/tom-searcy/4-ways-to-stop-being-a-micromanager.html

My experience is that even the most participatory manager can have her micromanager tendencies triggered by employees who display a

• lack of inclusion
• lack of follow through
• lack of acknowledgement
• lack of adoption
  

Like most freelance consultants, I often encounter the divide between companies who will invest in consulting services and those who will not.  But there is an equally important distinction between clients who are open to inviting a consultant into their world to assess and improve their situation and those who limp from one external guru to the next-- ever in search of "the" answer.

These companies seem to practice serial monogamy with consulting theories and practitioners.  They fall too hard with each new "love" -- rejecting the old ways (that were "new" only 12 weeks before) and bringing in the new and improved -- only to repeat the cycle with the next big idea.

After they move on, they disconnect from the theories of the past, regardless of how intently they followed them at the time.  The people on their team suffer from business theory whiplash, and tend to fall into two camps: the disciples of the latest gem and the resistant, who play along to keep their jobs but refuse to rework their sales presentation yet again.

 One clue that you may be dealing with a serial consulting monogamist  is that they disparage the previous work or consulting personalities as having failed them.  Whereas a thoughtful approach to external experts  enables a company to "borrow from the best" in a variety of complementary ways, the starry-eyed serial monogamist feels they must reject all that has come before.

Doesn't it remind you of that person you meet at a party: Always talking about her recent string of failed romances? Always sure the failure was beyond her control? Always sure the next one will be THE one?

The truth is, consultants and the latest business theories can do wonders for your team. But they merely the vehicle to LIFT you to the next level. A consultant will NOT create a better situation; they can help you find your own path there.  

If you are looking for an outside expert to be an outside answer -- you will be looking for a long, long time.  One consultant after another. Serial monogamy.