Learn Dealing With A Micromanager At Work

Dealing with a micromanager can be difficult but not impossible. 

Having a micromanager at work can become frustrating and challenging for several reasons. For starters, it makes you feel inferior and you start to believe that your work is never good enough. 

In fact, a lot of working people believe that when you are being constantly managed and told what you need to do, it can take away your confidence. You can find yourself wondering the ways for dealing with a micromanager, and it can bring you down constantly.

Lots of managers think micromanagement will help them get better results out of their team members, but believe it or not, it actually has a negative effect on employees' performance and feelings toward your company. 

What Is Micromanaging In The Workplace?

Micromanagement is the act of managing people with extreme detail, very closely monitoring how they work, and steering their actions. If you are ever looking for ways to deal with a micromanager, there are countless tips that can help.

You can often find yourself wondering what to say to a coworker to get them to stop micromanaging or how to deal with a micromanager boss. It can get overwhelming and cause stress, which can reduce your productivity at work. 

Employees may start to feel less motivated after being micro-managed all the time, which can lead to them not fulfilling their full potential at work. They are receiving constant feedback from their manager so they start thinking they have to do it perfectly every single time or face another meeting to talk about how things went wrong.

What Are the Ways for Dealing With A Micromanager Boss/Coworker 

Granted that there are many managers who micromanage their subordinates because they just want things done right, there are still some who do this as a form of control. They're insecure about having their employees take more responsibilities than they think they should or could handle on their own.

As soon as you become aware at work that your boss is exhibiting signs of micromanagement, you need to make a plan for how you would like to deal with it. This way, it won't come as a surprise and you can plan a strategy for dealing with a micromanager.

1. Use Your Words Wisely

Try suggesting they take a more high-level approach instead of always trying to supervise you. Don't argue or ask for explanations; just say something like, "I understand where you're coming from but I'm confident I can handle the problem by myself.” If they keep bugging you about not doing things the way they've been told to, ask them, "What's your concern? I'd like to talk through it.”

Don't start talking about how good you are at what you do; show your boss there is no need for constant guidance by taking initiative on some tasks and delivering high-quality results. Maybe this way they will realize that micromanagement isn't always needed after all.

Micromanagers might be very self-confident in their approach, so try asking them what would be more effective in dealing with a problem without suggesting how it should be dealt with. 

2. Don't Take Things Personally

The best way of dealing with a micromanager is to not take things personally. Don't let your boss's behavior affect how you feel about yourself or the job you are doing. You might be tempted to think it is because of something wrong with you, but remember that sometimes even good employees get scrutinized by micromanagers more intensely than their co-workers. It's simply their management style.

3. Keep Your Cool

If your boss starts getting into what seems like nit-picking details, don't let it frustrate you. Beware of snapping at them because they're constantly pointing out what seems to be minute and probably will not help you in the long run.

Although considered by many as a form of disrespect, some micromanagers still have this habit of constantly checking in with how employees are doing at every step when completing work assignments. Make sure you can keep your composure when this happens so you won't put yourself in an awkward situation later on.

4. Avoid Showing Frustration

Know when to let things go instead of getting visibly frustrated for dealing with a micromanager whenever he/she is watching over your shoulder. It is possible that this is how they show their concern for the tasks you are working on. If it seems like your manager does not trust your abilities, make sure to let them know how much more capable you are than what they think of you.

5. Keep Track Of Your Progress

It is best to keep the project plan up-to-date whenever possible so there will be no confusion over who is responsible for which tasks and when these should be done. This way, managers won't have any reason to doubt you or spread rumors about why it always takes longer than expected to finish certain projects.

6. Make Yourself Available

Don't hesitate to ask questions or seek clarification on a specific direction, but only at the right time and place. Don't do it when your manager is already in the middle of something. Unless you would really like you to know what's up so you can prepare or avoid getting into bad scenarios.

7. Ask For Feedback

If you honestly believe there are instances where your manager seems not to notice how hard you work or how much effort you put in on a certain task, make sure to ask them politely about what else they could do as your guide. Tell them how eager you are to learn from them, but if this doesn't seem to be enough, don't hesitate to set up a meeting with HR or other company officials if needed. This could really help you in dealing with a micromanager in a very effective manner.

8. Know What Is Expected

Before you decide how to deal with a micromanager boss or coworker, you have to figure out what they want. Some managers are unclear about their expectations because they are inexperienced or unfocused on the job. 

You can help them by asking questions that clarify what they want. Keep in mind that some managers might be more controlling simply because they feel insecure about their own work and project a lack of confidence.

9. Do Your Job And Do It Well

Make sure you meet their standards and deliver on time or ahead of schedule if possible. If you don't, they will continue to monitor your work for as long as they can. You may find that some of what they ask for is unnecessary or makes the project take longer, but try not to complain and consider it a way of dealing with a micromanager.

10.  Ask For What You Need

If your micromanager's demands are making it difficult to get the work done, talk to them about the problem. You might ask if they can set up a meeting so you can walk through your progress and what you have left to do. Let them know that this will help you meet their expectations. The best thing you can do is to utilize your time and resources instead of waiting for them to finally have a change of heart. 

Final Takeaway

People often fail to realize what micromanaging does to employees. Being a micromanager doesn't only have negative effects on your team members, but it might also backfire because you don't have enough time to deal with important tasks that need your attention. 

Trying to find ways for dealing with a micromanager boss or coworker can get tiring. Dealing with a difficult boss micromanager is never easy, and you need to work on various aspects to ensure you are meeting their expectations.