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How to Manage a Micro-Manager with Grace and Ease

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Does your micromanager make you feel like a puppet?

 

When I wrote my account about the micro manager who we nicknamed Big Brother Cat and the team feeling like a galley of mice on a slave ship, I must have hit a nerve somewhere because it was a highly visited and read post. For sure each one of us has known one (maybe even 2 or 3) at some point of time in our careers.

The truth is, controlling bosses can slow us down and undermine our confidence. Nobody, and I mean nobody likes a boss or supervisor who second guesses our decisions and expects us to be available round the clock. It’s often a reason for employee attrition and one area that any manager can improve upon.

A professional who has been recently promoted to manager might indulge in micro-management at the beginning despite the leadership courses his employers might have sent him not because he’s a nasty person but in reality, there is a learning curve involved from making the shift from an Executive who executes to a Manager who manages.

The Art of Delegation has to be learned as is overcoming the fear that they might not be successful in their new role.

Then again, there are more experienced managers who still engage in micro-management like Big Brother Cat. I suspect in his case it was the feeling of a lack of control since his team was working more with the Technical Manager on the assignment and he was reduced to doing a PR and Admin role.

The need to micromanage might also arise because the manager might have been let down in the past or have worked for a micromanaging boss and having had no other role model, imbibed this style of management. It can also be caused by a deep sense of insecurity.

Whatever the root cause, it leads to low morale in the team and lowers productivity.

Some time back, one of my clients told me about a boss whom she reported to through her immediate boss who had become a monster. Not literally but the language in his emails had taken on a tone that she wasn’t used to and she started to wonder if she had done anything wrong?

She was working weekends to meet an important regulatory deadline and was throwing her work life balance out of gear for this deadline.

Fortunately she had shared details of the assignment with me during a previous coaching call and as an outsider I sensed what might be causing the Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde syndrome.

 

Micromanagement leads to attrition.

 

As a former Finance Director who had regulatory reporting requirements every quarter, I know the pressure to meet deadlines and report to the Board of Directors. Depending on the industry, there are key deliverables that are tied to the director’s remuneration, bonus and even job.

So while the team might be working to the best of their ability, they are involved in a micro part of the delivery for which they are responsible but might not be aware of the big picture or how their work ties up to a bigger deliverable.

In such a case, a good boss would share the big picture with the team or at least his or her direct reports who would translate it down the line. Sometimes it happens and sometimes it doesn’t.

Either way, the top boss does experience a sense of not being in control and powerless and voila, micromanagement manifests. This is documented in Drake Baer’s article, Bosses Micromanage When They Feel Powerless.

One of the best ways to overcome this is to keep them in the loop with regular progress reports or if there is a roadblock, talk to them to tap into their wealth of experience and get some much required guidance.

The minute my client started sending weekly reports, the top boss went back to being normal.

 

Micro-managers can be difficult to deal with but it can be done

 

Overbearing management styles are all too common and counterproductive. Most employees say they’ve been micro-managed at some point in their career, and studies show that workers perform worse when they feel like they’re being watched.

If your boss is hovering over your shoulder, encourage them to give you more space. Try these steps to gain more freedom and still get along with your boss.

 

5 Steps you can take to reduce Micromanagement

 

Assess if your performance is part of the problem. Do you show up on time and follow through on your responsibilities? Close supervision could be a rational response when an employee tends to be less than reliable. Start out by investigating whether you could be contributing to the situation.

 

Be proactive. Once you’ve assured yourself that you’re on top of your work, you can turn your attention to how to cope with your boss’s management style. Just as my client figured out that the top boss needed weekly progress reports and her silence creating stress, identify their anxiety triggers and figure out your plan of action in advance. (Bonus reading: 9 Signs Your Boss Is a Micromanager—and How to Handle Them)

 

Coordinate with colleagues. Chances are your co-workers experience the same issues you do. Coordinate your efforts to show your boss that they can trust you to pull together to overcome challenges even while they’re traveling or focusing on strategy.

 

Document your activities. Logging your accomplishments creates a paper trail. Having your facts straight helps you to prove your worth and maintain your peace of mind. This step is crucial in case the micromanagement is not because of the reasons I’m stating in this post, but a tactic that is being used to demonstrate your incompetence and an exit from the company (yes, this too happens in corporate politics).

 

Seek intervention. When appropriate, you may be able to consult others without alienating your boss. If senior management asks for feedback, let them know your supervisor’s good qualities in addition to changes that could help you do a better job. Your HR department or employee assistance program may also offer relevant advice.

 

7 Ways to Manage the Micromanager

 

It takes self-confidence and high emotional intelligence to tackle a nitpick boss and to ensure that your work doesn’t suffer because of it.

I call it the Manage the Manager method and share tactics to ensure that your work is noticed while making your boss look good in Get Noticed!

You need to take charge of the situation before it takes charge of you and requires you polish your Emotional Intelligence skills.

 

 

Being proactive and empathetic will transform your relationship with a micromanaging boss. Learn to collaborate as a team, or at least maintain harmony. You’ll enjoy more autonomy as a result.

Here’s how I would do it.

 

  1. Provide updates. Frequent status reports keep your boss informed without their having to ask. Assure them that things are running smoothly.
  2. Build rapport and create a personal connection. Respect and compassion enhance any working relationship. Remind yourself of what you like about your boss. Make time for small talk and sharing common interests. A strong foundation will make any disagreement easier to handle.
  3. Create more opportunities. Is your boss interfering with your work because they don’t have a full plate of their own? Add value by presenting them with public speaking opportunities and sales leads. Helping your boss to shine is a smart way to advance your own career.
  4. Clarify your role. Listen closely to your boss and observe their behavior. That way you can understand their preferences and anticipate their needs. Maybe they like booking their own travel arrangements. Maybe they care more about employees following instructions than taking initiative.
  5. Ask for feedback. Find out what your boss is thinking. Ask questions about what results they’re looking for and how you’re measuring up. Pinpoint strengths you can build on and changes that they would like to see.

 

Reinforce any positive interactions by letting your boss know how much you appreciate their efforts when you’re allowed to take charge of a project or find your own approach. Tell them that you enjoy working with them and that they’re helping you to contribute more.

 

Checklist - do your colleagues think you are emotionally intelligent?

We’ve all experienced micromanaging supervisors in our career and good professionals learn over time to mitigate the adverse effects of the Big Brother Cat Manager.

 

What micro-manager managing tips can you offer?

 

16 Responses to “How to Manage a Micro-Manager with Grace and Ease”

  1. Mumtaz Hassan says:

    Accurately highlighted the dangers of micromanagement to the personality of employees and work quality. Above all, the article provided advice on handling of such bosses who micromanages. I wish this article must be read by all those who start a new job.

    • Karmic Ally says:

      Thank you for your kind words and encouragement, Mumtaz. I appreciate you.

  2. Heather says:

    You give a lot of insight and important things to think about for those in that position.

    • Karmic Ally says:

      It’s important to know how to handle a difficult situation that if ignored leads to stress for the employee and often leaving an otherwise good job, Heather.

  3. This is some excellent advice Vatsala! Everyone who works in a 9-5 corporate type job needs this advice for sure. Thankfully for me I’m my own boss 🙂 But when hubby dearest comes in from his corporate job, I am the one giving him advice on how to handle the ego clashes that happen at the work place.

    • Karmic Ally says:

      One of the benefits of becoming my own boss was not having to deal with micro-managers in the corporate office, Zeenat, and I can imagine what your husband faces if he is working with one. 🙂 Knowing how to handle the situation is important. In the early days of my career, I often discussed similar situations with my father who could see through the situation and guided me on how to manage the boss. Precious advice since he too was a boss at work.

  4. I have never liked being micromanaged and am very interested in leadership development so I really enjoyed this article. I appreciate your 5 steps to reduce micromanagement because it is empowering and gives employees strategies to feel empowered rather than victimized. Thank you so much for sharing your wisdom and insight!

    • Karmic Ally says:

      My pleasure, Kelley. One of the best ways to increase attrition at the workplace is to have a micromanager in charge of competent staff who are looking for career progression but aren’t given a chance to work on their tasks in peace. Many times, the exit interviews reveal the issue was with the boss and I wouldn’t be surprised if the boss in question practiced micromanagement.

  5. CK Kochis says:

    I can see why this subject hit a nerve! And, I love the nickname Big Brother Cat. I worked for Mean Can’t-Do-Anything-Right Manipulator! Oh my… she was very difficult to work for. In her eyes, we were insignificant, incapable, insufficient and not working hard enough. The day she was fired (five years after I was employed by the company), all of us in the office exhaled like we’d been holding our breath underwater for two minutes too long.

    I appreciate the insights and course of action you share. Thank you for continuing to guide us with your pearls of wisdom.

    • Karmic Ally says:

      I think your former boss must have been the sister of Big Brother Cat, Cindy. 🙂 Luckily in your case, the boss was fired. Quite often the micromanager also knows how to manipulate the higher ups or is perceived as a valuable asset and allowed to get away with toxic behavior.

  6. DITTO what Barb said–I wish I’d known you 15 years ago to benefit from you wisdom while working in different organizations. And yet, I can see applications for many of your suggestions as I work with groups, teams, and even family members.
    Always so helpful!
    Lore

    PS Is there any Black Forrest cake left? lol

    • Karmic Ally says:

      Thank you for your kind words, Lore. The tips do apply to a broader community or group wherever there is a leader or supervisor who has the bad habit of micromanaging. So you can use the tips to manage the micromanager.

      Ah, the Black Forrest Cake made it till the end of the week and was consumed with relish. 🙂

  7. Suzie Cheel says:

    So blessed I haven’t had this experience for many years although useful when you are leading teams too thank you xxx

    • Karmic Ally says:

      My pleasure, Suzie. Team leaders often forget they are working with capable human beings who should be allowed to do their job and turn to their leader or supervisor more for guidance and feedback.

  8. Barb Parcells says:

    i am fortunate not to have to deal with this any more but I wish I’d had this guidance when I was! Great post.

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