Fortunately, I have primarily worked for bosses who have pretty much left me alone to perform my job. In fact, I can only think of one time in my career that I had a micromanaging boss, and it was awful; especially since I am the kind of worker that does not need to be motivated to get my job done, and done well. I could have really used some tips back then on how to deal with a micromanaging boss.
Have you ever noticed how your communication style changes depending on the situation you are in. For example, the language, mannerisms and tone you might use at a cocktail party would be very different from the the language, mannerisms and tone you use in an office meeting.
Similarly, bosses have adopted a working style of communication that they believe works for them. Some bosses passively sit back and listen, only talking when they feel they need to, while others ask questions to draw information out, some want a lot of information while others only want the essential details and some allow you a lot of flexibility in how you do your job, and others do not. This is important information to have if you want to know how to deal with a micromanaging boss.
For starters, a micromanaging boss is hard to miss. They manage as as though their employees are incapable of doing their jobs. They check up on everything that their employees do, rarely give praise, and often give criticism. You know the type. But yes, they can be dealt with. With a few tips, you will know how to deal with a micro managing boss.
Examine your behavior
First take a look at yourself. Are you getting to work on time? Are you doing your job well? Do you irritate your boss in any way? Do you work well with others? Ask yourself if there is anything that you are doing that is causing your boss to manage you in such a way? If there is, avoid doing it.
Know your boss’s pet peeves
If you hear one of your colleagues being reprimanded for getting to the office late, then you know that your boss does not like his or her employees arriving late. Also note those things that seem little to you. For example, you may not think it is a big deal to knock on your boss’s door before entering, but if your boss let’s you know that it is a distraction to him or her, avoid doing it again. If you are just starting out at a company, you may want to consider writing your findings down to help you to remember them.
Adapt your communication
Observe the way your boss communicates with your colleagues. From this you should be able to determine whether micromanaging is your boss’s style with everyone or if it is just his or her style with you. If it is about you, you may want to do either of these two things: 1. schedule a meeting with your boss to see what both of you can do to improve your working relationship. 2. pay particular attention to the interactions of your boss and the coworkers that your boss does not micromanage and note how yours differs. I am not saying that you should change your behaviors to mimic that of your coworkers, but you can get a sense of how they interact with your boss. You can decide later if you want to emulate your colleagues communication style to see if it makes a difference for you.
Avoid gossiping
Avoid saying anything negatively about your boss in the office no matter how tempting it may be. The comments may get back to him or her. You don’t know what relationships your boss has with others in the company, and the worse thing you can do with your boss is get into an argument or power struggle. A power struggle may inspire your boss to take more formal action, like giving you a poor review, which may lead to termination.
Micromanage your boss
Try a role reversal by micromanaging your boss. Schedule a meeting with your boss to agree in detail what you will be doing. Let your boss make all of the decisions. Do exactly what your boss says and report back often. Maybe eventually he will get tired of you coming to him or her for everything and back off. Occasionally ask your boss if he or she would prefer that you do more without his or her feedback.
Note: Currently I don’t have a micromanaging boss, but routinely schedule meetings with him and send status reports to make sure I am performing my work in exactly the way that he wants me to. I have found this to be an extremely effective strategy. My boss knows what I am doing at all times. Because of our open, honest and direct communication, my boss and I have a great working relationship.
Give feedback
Give feedback to your boss about his or her management style and how it is making you feel. Some managers do not intentionally try to micromanage and once it is brought to their attention, will try to improve. However, you must take caution when using this approach. Some managers can feel embarrassed or slighted making this approach work against you; so do it as a last resort.
If your boss’s management style does not improve, and you can no longer tolerate it, it may be time to start looking for a new job.
Image by ZachKlein
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Hi, My name is Lisa. I am a mother, girlfriend, blogger, runner and happiness seeker.
I started blogging in March 2010 as a way for me to grow and help others by sharing what I learned.
My personal development journey began about 15 years ago.
{ 6 comments… read them below or add one }
Fail. This information is all wrong.
Learning to walk on eggshells and mimic other people so as not to irritate your boss seems like it would do anything but provide you with a sense of Zen. Sounds like it could make your job pretty stressful, actually.
And micromanaging your boss, doing exactly as they say? This approach will only make you seem incapable, thus reaffirming your boss’s urge to micromanage. It will also never be enough for them. Even if you do exactly as they say, a micromanager will find fault with your performance because no two people could ever do something exactly alike. You will never live up to your boss’s standards because you cannot physically be your boss.
Following these instructions to contort into your boss’s tiny image of perfection will only make it look like you need to be micromanaged, and it will not offer you any sense of “courage” or “Zen.”
Hello Dee
Thanks for stopping by.
No, don’t walk on eggshells, observe other’s behavior to see if they are doing something that if you adopt might be beneficial. If you notice that your boss treats those who come to work on time differently than those who don’t, you might consider getting to work on time. Of course if it is against the grain of who you are as a person, leave it alone and suffer the consequences.
Hmmm… to your second point, I think it depends on the boss. In essence, as an employee, if you want to keep your job, you have to do what your boss says. Some bosses will see that and reward you with more freedoms like my boss does; but I can also see how it could go the other way and your boss think that you will not be able to perform your job adequately without him or her micromanaging you. In that case, the issue is not yours, it is your boss’s. :-)
Lisa,
I am currently dealing with this situation now! So thank you for this post, it was very helpful and made me feel a lot better…as always your blog is wonderful and I always enjoy reading it!
I hope you Mike and Mike are doing great! Miss you guys and expect a little something in the mail soon : )
Morella
Hi Morella,
So glad you stopped by. Interestingly, I have been thinking about you guys. Mostly because I wanted to get your email address so that I could send you and Edward pictures of the little guy. It is funny how the universe works. Because of your comment, I now have your email address. I am glad you found the article useful. Life tends to present us with challenges meant to help us grow. Learning how to deal with your current micromanaging boss will help you deal with micromanaging bosses you may have in the future.
Yes, we are all doing very well. :-)
Thank you
That’s a tough one to deal with, Lisa. You have a nice balance of looking at reality and taking responsibility. It is important to remember that all our relationships are co-created. Our relationship to our Boss cannot exist without our participation. Honest self-examination is the only way to create an atmosphere of harmony and collaboration or fights and tension.
Hi Rob,
Thanks for stopping by. What an insightful comment. Very true. All of our relationships are co-created and we must look at our part in them. Unfortunately not all people want to work things out and get along and that makes working with them very difficult. In those types of situations, your best recourse is to limit your contact them.