Not many employees like to be micromanaged. In some cultures, it is common and often expected, but in others, it is viewed as negative. If you’re managing employees in the U.S., most people will not appreciate the ways of a micromanager. Of course, there are some employees who perform better under such circumstances, but managers should be aware that if they’re not allowing their high-performing employees to work autonomously, they might be at risk of losing them.
If you’re in the position of being constantly and unnecessarily checked on by a manager, there are ways to combat the hovering. It’s not easy to change someone who is a micromanager, since “manager” implies someone who’s been in his or her career for some time and who is likely already set in his or her ways. However, you can take some actions to try to make it better for you and your peers. Here’s how to handle a manager who is monitoring every detail of your work:
1. Talk to your manager. When you do set up a talk or have a casual conversation to broach the topic, avoid using the accusatory word “you.” Instead, keep the conversation focused on you. For example: “I’m looking to take on more responsibility to learn to manage and grow my projects. Can we discuss if that’s possible and how we could work together to make it happen?”
Yes, it’s an indirect way to address the problem, but it could lead the conversation to a spot where you can emphasize that you enjoy independence at work. Perhaps you’ll be able to mention that you perform best when given autonomy at work. Ensure the boss knows you will ask her, the expert, for advice and direction whenever necessary.
2. Put the ball in your boss’s court. When you invite the manager to provide a solution like in the example in No. 1, you make her feel as if she is the originator of the idea and a trusted, empowered manager. Using the word “together” also shows you appreciate her counsel and like to work as a team. If you keep the conversation along these lines and discuss how the whole arrangement benefits the manager, you can create a win-win situation.
You should also try to envision what her challenges are and why she might be scrutinizing every detail of your work. Are there other people on your team who are not getting their work done on time? Did someone work in your position before who had job performance issues? These are not reasons to back down or be passive about these issues, but it will give you some perspective and encourage you to put yourself in her shoes. This will make it easier for you to negotiate if you’re coming at it from a position of understanding; you’re empathetic without necessarily agreeing.
3. Demonstrate continued trustworthiness toward the manager. Agree in your meeting to provide a daily or weekly progress report (either a formal meeting or written report) so she knows you can be trusted. Follow through with this agreement to keep the manager well informed and happy. This might cause her to be less involved and thus not poking her nose into your work as often as before. If she asks you for more frequent status reports, comply with her request. This shows her you are willing to work according to her terms.
If after six months, you feel the reins have tightened rather than loosened, it may be time to go higher up the chain for some advice. Going in as a complainer won’t help your case, but since most people like to be asked for their guidance and opinion, you can approach it in that way.
Micromanagers can drive you mad and really disrupt your work experience. If you are seen as a valuable employee, and nothing changes after trying these techniques, it may be time to look for another team or even a new company or organization with a manager that is a better match for your work style. Just be sure to conduct as much due diligence as possible. Talk to as many employees as you can before accepting another job to find out how the new manager operates to make sure it’s a good fit for you.
Marcelle Yeager is the president of Career Valet, which delivers personalized career navigation services. Her goal is to enable people to recognize skills and job possibilities they didn’t know they had to make a career change or progress in their current career. She worked for more than 10 years as a strategic communications consultant, including four years overseas. Marcelle holds an MBA from the University of Maryland.
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3 Tips for Dealing With a Micromanager originally appeared on usnews.com
