Are you being micromanaged? Here's how to know & what to do
by Ray Bass
If you ask someone in your office at random whether or not they like being micromanaged, their answer is almost certainly going to be no. Throughout my own career, I’ve never met anyone who likes every part of their day-to-day work life (including projects, tasks, emails, etc.) excessively supervised. Unfortunately, however, micromanaging happens a lot in the workplace. Bosses, managers, and superiors are most often the guilty parties, because they’re in a position to manage other people, and they also have expectations from their own manager.
Micromanagement isn’t the end of the world, though. And if you’re being micromanaged, it isn’t necessarily because your performance is poor. In fact, micromanagement rarely has to do with one’s performance, and instead has to do with your manager’s own insecurities about their abilities and their controlling personality. That said, it can make for an unpleasant work experience, and that in itself means you should take action.
Here’s how to know if you’re being micromanaged, and what to do about it.
How to know if you’re being micromanaged
Chances are, if you’re being micromanaged by your boss, you’ll know it. It’s typically a “you’ll know it when you see it” situation. But just so you know what to look out for, here’s a list of warning signs that your boss is a micromanagers:
They avoid delegating work, and prefer to do it themselves.
You’re constantly being asked for updates.
You’re not allowed to make decisions.
They’re never quite satisfied with deliverables.
They laser in on details and take pride or pain in making corrections.
They constantly want to know where all their team members are and what they’re working on.
They ask to be cc’d on emails.
They complain constantly, and find fault in anything.
They won’t pass on their skills or knowledge to others.
They give feedback, but don’t ask for it (or take it well).
Similarly, when you critique them, they say something like, “Well, that’s just how things work around here.” They have no real interest in hearing how they can improve.
Your projects drag on forever, because their incredibly-busy schedule sets the pace for everything there is to do. They hold up projects by making you wait for their approval at every turn.
(List adapted from honestly.com & HBR)
These are just a few of the signs that your boss is a micromanager. And once you come to terms with that, you have to decide how you want to proceed.
How to deal with being micromanaged
While the people doing the micromanaging always don’t have malicious intentions—they want to make sure a project is on track to hit a deadline, or that something is being done correctly—their behavior can negatively impact employees’ productivity and undermine their confidence.
So, if you suspect you’re being micromanaged, here are a few ways you can approach the situation.
1. Bring it up to them.
Before you decide to go down this path, you have to take into accounts your relationship with your boss, as well as how they respond to feedback. Not every manager takes criticism well, even if it’s meant to be constructive. Some managers will perceive anything you say as a complaint against them, or see it as a personal attack. To be clear: Those are the managers you don’t want to confront directly. On the other hand, if your boss has asked you for feedback in the past, or makes genuine comments like “my door is wide open if you have concerns or issues,” then they’re more likely to respond well to an honest, non-threatening conversation. This is something you have to suss out yourself.
Here’s an example of how you could go about voicing your concerns.
Choose a day when you know your boss’s schedule isn’t packed, or there isn’t a major deadline coming up (e.g. if you work in e-commerce and Black Friday is next week, it’s probably not the time to put something else on your manager’s plate.) Drop by their desk, or send them a friendly message on Slack, asking if they have 10 minutes free that day to chat privately. Their first thought might be that you’re quitting, so don’t be surprised if they hesitate or look uneasy when you ask. And if they say they don’t have time, don’t push it. Just pick another day.
Make sure you’ve prepared what you want to say, in case they say they have 10 minutes free when you ask. Go somewhere quiet, where you can have some privacy, and then start the conversation with something positive. “I really appreciate how helpful you’ve been with XYZ.” Then, frame your concern in a positive light, making clear what would help you. “I would love the opportunity to spearhead this project and give you updates as needed. It would help me build my confidence, and hopefully give you some of your time back.” This is just one example, but you can see how this approach is different than saying, “You’re micromanaging me and I need you to stop.” It’s never a good idea to tell a micromanager that they’re a micromanager. Throwing that word around is only going to upset them, and make the situation worse for you.
A great tip from Forbes is to make a list of all the interactions you have with your boss in the week before you plan to confront them. That way when you meet, you have some examples, and can share your ideas on how to improve those interactions and save them time. The more you can frame them not micromanaging you as a positive thing for both you and them, the more probable it is that they’ll ease off.
2. Don’t fight it.
Any psychologist will tell you that you’re better off changing your reaction to someone’s behavior than trying to get them to change their behavior. While this advice is definitely situational (and is not an excuse for people to behavior poorly), it applies to this situation. In other words, this person is your boss, and unless you plan on leaving that job or position sometime soon, you’re stuck with them for the foreseeable future. You don’t want to ruffle their feathers and make them trust you less. Like I said, the micromanagement isn’t really about you, but if you rebel against your manager, they can make it about you.
“If you push back in one way or another — passively or aggressively — your manager may conclude you can’t be trusted and get more involved,” says Jean-François Manzoni, a professor of management at INSEAD and co-author of The Set-Up-to-Fail Syndrome: How Good Managers Cause Great People to Fail. “If I sense disdain, I’m going to be encouraged to show you that on my forehead it says ‘boss’ and on yours, it doesn’t.”
Instead of fighting back or disobeying your manager, a better way to gain their trust and make yourself look good is to...
3. Be proactive, and keep your boss in the loop.
Micromanagers have a habit of constantly checking in to get status updates or to make sure everything is going smoothly. This behavior might annoy you to no end (I know I always felt that way), so rather than waiting for those inevitable check-ins to happen, try being proactive and initiating them yourself. When you complete steps of a project, or if you hit a roadblock, reach out to them and tell them. Also, giving ETAs for when you think you’ll be done with something is a great way to get micromanagers to relax. Saying something like, “I just finished part A of the large project, I’m starting part B today and am hoping to finish it by Thursday,” gives your boss the hint that if they ask you if it’s done before that date, the answer will be no. This also allows your boss to communicate independently within the company and give progress reports without having to nag you. Above all, they’ll appreciate the transparency you’re providing, and the fact that you’re trying to make their job easier.
The takeaway
Being micromanaged by your boss is never a pleasant experience, and it’s normal to feel frustrated, irritated, or upset by it. Fortunately, you now have the tools you need to handle the situation as much as you can. If the micromanaging starts to get out of hand, or you confront your manager about it and they become outraged or take it out on you, you can always consult with someone from your HR department, meet with the head of your department, or ask a close friend for advice. Worst case scenario, you ask for a new manager or leave that job entirely. Even those outcomes are better than being miserable at work.