How to Manage a Micromanager

Free advice on how to manage a micromanager

I am baffled by micromanagers because it just doesn’t make sense as to why they need to be breathing down the necks of the people who do good work for them.

As it turns out, this perspective is only ½ of the story. Oftentimes, micromanagers are getting heat from their managers to “stay on top of their people.”

After training thousands of supervisors, managers and team leaders in the past 8 years, their biggest complaint is that they feel underappreciated by their boss who puts pressure on them to get things done.

So it’s a chain reaction, you see. A sort of pecking order in the hierarchy.

Here is what I advise to manage this issue at work, as best you can. Sometimes it works. But you’ll never know unless you. And I’ve seen many clients get positive results.

I have two pieces of advice for you.

This applies if you are in management, or you are an individual contributor:

1. Set up a clarifying meeting with your boss. In that meeting, find out exactly what is expected of you; clarify and get agreement on all of your deliverables; agree to a timeframe to produce those deliverables. Do this for all of your job-related tasks. Negotiate if you have to get some things off your plate if you don’t think you can deliver. If you are a manager, do this with each of your employees too, and then back off and let them do it. Then, of course, deliver what you are responsible for with all of the skills you have. When your manager starts looking over your shoulder, remind them that you are on task and will deliver as expected and if you need their help, you’ll ask for it.
2. If you are unhappy in your role then it is time to ask yourself some hard questions: Is it the situation you are in that makes you unhappy? Or are you unhappy deep in your core? We can change situations and situations do change, but you, at your core, are the only one responsible for your happiness. If your happiness is relying on your love relationship, your kids, your job, your boss, your bank account, your body shape, your friends, living quarters or anything you do not have complete control over, then it won’t matter if you change your situations, because the core of you will always be the same. When you can find happiness within yourself, your situations will then change and be more pleasing to you.

 

The first piece of advice above is a task with your boss or your staff. Simple.

You train your manager how to treat you. You are responsible to communicate, clarifying what is unclear, and delivering as promised.

Not easy, depending on your job, but manageable with most rational human beings. (Notice that big caveat I mentioned there? You and your boss need to be rational.)

The second bit of advice involves self-awareness and an investment of self-reflection time. This is totally possible. I’ve seen people transform, time and time again.

Decide to be happy, regardless of your situation.

How are you doing with your evolution?

If you want some help with that, let’s talk .

All my best,

Maureen

Listen in to a guest appearance on “52 Weeks of Me” Podcast

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