Dealing With a Micromanager
Micromanagement is one of the top management gripes in all industries. Most, if not all, of us, have had the misfortune of the micromanaging boss who rewrites your emails, constantly checks in to see where you are on tasks (thereby increasing the amount of time those tasks take…) and keeps a firm grip on you at every stage of whatever you are working on. How do you put an end to this?
Step 1: Accept it
While being micromanaged is stressful, getting upset about it will only add to the stress. Take deep breaths, squeeze a stress ball, go out for a breath of fresh air; do whatever it takes to keep calm and not take micromanagement personally. You have many better places to spend that energy.
Step 2: Figure out where it’s coming from
Ask yourself a few questions to try to figure out the root of your boss’s micromanaging tendencies.
What type of micromanager is your boss, and how long has he or she been that way? If it’s a relatively recent phenomenon, what brought on the change?
What kind of pressures is your manager under?
What is his or her manager like?
Does micromanaging tend to manifest itself, or get worse, in particular situations?
Understanding the cause can help you take a more targeted approach to a solution.
Step 3: Build trust
For most people, micromanagement has its roots in anxiety. In order to quell your boss’s insecurities, you need to find ways of proving to him or her that you can be counted on when it counts most. You can do this by:
Keeping track of mistakes you make—particularly those to which your boss reacts strongly—so that you are sure they only happen once.
Scheduling weekly check-ins with your boss, both to dissuade constant phone calls or knocks on your door and as a sign that you are dependable.
Demonstrating to your boss that you take special care in areas that tend to bring out his or her micromanaging.
Developing complementary expertise to your boss so that you are strongest in his or her weakest areas.
The last strategy worked especially well for a client with a micromanaging boss. We were able to determine that the manager was especially insecure in one particular area in which my client was willing to develop expertise. The manager found this particularly reassuring, and eventually this led to a positive “halo effect” in the rest of his work — even areas in which the manager felt especially strong. The result was greater independence for my client, and less stress for all involved.
While every case of micromanagement is unique, one thing is true for all cases: ultimately, the easiest variable to change is yourself. Be patient and kind with yourself, and treat it as a learning opportunity. If ultimately you are not able to figure out a way to make the situation work for you, it may be time to explore doing some work for another manager or finding other ways to gain some independence for yourself.
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