It's Your Fault You're Being Micromanaged
Are you frustrated with managers' over-involvement in your projects? Do they check in on your status too often? Does your manager think they know more about the work than you do? What about those times when they redo your work for no reason?
All of this is your fault; follow along to learn how to get
your manager off your back.
You have to wonder with how busy our managers must be, how
do they find so much time to control everything?
The Micromanagers
To answer this question, we need to explore why different managers
end up micromanaging. Over time, I have observed various kinds of
micromanagement, each with distinct ways and reasons for managers to get
over-involved. These are not one-size-fits-all situations; at some point, every
manager will probably exhibit each of these personas.
The Doers
One of the most common micromanagement styles is the doer.
These are the managers who were once good at their team's job. More often than
not, these people were promoted into management for their talent at getting the
job done and struggle with letting go. These micromanagers will usually give
you detailed steps and checklists. They know what is happening because they tell
you exactly what to do.
These managers micromanage because they are uncomfortable
with not knowing the daily details about how the work is getting done.
The Taskmasters
The next most common micromanager is the taskmaster. These
managers need to know the plan and how much progress has been made. If they
don’t see every step the team takes, the project's outcome is not certain
enough to satisfy them. Taskmasters hold many meetings and impromptu check-ins
to get updates on short-term progress.
These managers are uncomfortable with uncertain outcomes.
The Amplifiers
Amplifiers want to be able to confidently relay status and
progress up the chain, probably to a taskmaster.
The Devout
Since you are this far in, it might be worth finishing.
These ideas may help you with your next manager.
A Common Thread
I know that at this point, these still seem like problems
they need to solve for themselves. However, in almost every case above, these
managers feel like they don’t know what is going on and don’t know how to ask
for what is missing. Or because nobody seems to be stepping up to ensure things
are organized.
The common thread, causing you to be micromanaged, is that
these managers are looking for more information and team members who show they
don’t need to be told what to do. You
can do this for them!
It’s Time to Break Habits
You must break some habits before you start getting your
manager to back off. 1. Only sharing when the work is complete, or you need a
new task. 2. Asking permission. 3. Being worried about their time.
1. Lift Your Head and Share
Stop putting your head down and only coming up for air when
the work is complete. Many of us find it easy to get focused and work through
the problems and tasks in front of us right to the end. This is one of the things
that causes your manager to get uncomfortable and causes micromanagement.
It is easy to believe that since our managers assigned us a
task, then they know what we are doing, but no news is not good news to a
micromanager.
2. Don’t Ask Permission to do Your Job
“Sorry to bother you, but can I work on my weekly report
tomorrow?”
When you ask permission, you tell your manager that you
cannot progress without their approval.
You are telling them you are stuck, and they must stop what they are
doing to get you moving. The micromanager hears you say, “You have to own the
next steps and tell me what to do; I am not accountable.”
Many of us were taught from a young age to respect our
elders and those in authority positions.
However, there are ways to honor these values without encouraging the
micromanagers around us.
3. Your Manager is Not Too Busy
It is your manager's responsibility to manage their own
time. Frankly, if they have the time to
micromanage you, they have time to receive your information. You do not need to worry about how busy they
are; if your manager wants more information, GIVE IT TO THEM!
Overcommunication is not possible in a professional
environment. Think about how often you
feel like too much about a project is being shared with you. Share everything
that can be shared.
Build A New Habit
It's time to build a new habit around proactive
communication. I like to call it showing your work. Just like back in school
when your math teacher wanted to show all the steps, showing your work lets
your manager know how you plan to solve the problem (Doers), how much time you
think it will take (Taskmasters), and when you will follow up on the status
(Amplifiers). The difference between now and school is when you show your
steps. In the professional world, you must
explain the steps before doing the work, not wait until you get the correct
answer.
I Plan To
“I plan to finish my weekly report tomorrow. “I intend to work
with the marketing department to ensure they have all relevant information.”
Showing your work starts with sharing your plans. This is not asking. When you say “I Plan To” or “I Intend To,” your
manager hears: “Hey, I am going to do this unless you stop me.” You are telling
your manager you will do this, and now is the time to provide guidance or course
correction. It shows that you are ready to own this project.
Here is a leadership secret: this is what initiative looks
like.
Update Update Update
Create a reminder to regularly and proactively share your
progress: what is going well, what has been unexpected, where you could use guidance,
and the next steps in your plan.
If you ensure these updates are consistent and thorough, you
will keep your manager fed with enough information to keep them at bay. They will have what they need to be
comfortable with the project in your hands.
Share When You Are Done
Finally, check in with your manager when you are done. Show them the completed work, tell them what
you learned, and share what you are working on next. Remember, “I Plan To.”
Wrap It Up
Micromanagement is your fault because you don’t share enough
with your manager. This causes them to
crave more information to the point of needing to micromanage. Stop waiting for
them to give you tasks and for them to ask for updates. Start proactively showing your work. I plan
to, share your progress along the way, and ask for feedback at the end.
Begin replacing the words “May I” with “I Plan To.” Then,
reflect on how that changes your own perception of your autonomy.
Check out these related posts:
Stop Managing Up and Start Showing Your Work
Hey Boss, Stop Solving the Team's Problems
If you want more help improving how to show your work, consider reaching out to me.
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