Quit Bugging Me: How to Stop Your Leader From Micromanaging You!

Do you feel like you can’t get your work done without having your leader constantly asking you about the status of things? Welcome to being micromanaged.

Leaders who micromanage closely control and supervise the work their direct report employees produce. Often, they might even take back the work they’ve assigned to you, leaving you without anything to contribute to your organization.

Forbes found that micromanagement is one of the most damaging habits a leader exhibits. And his/her relationship with you suffers because you are likely feeling that you are not trusted.  And it damages your leader’s credibility with you. And even if your leader thinks they are helping, they are probably hurting you and others in the long run. When a leader’s management style leans towards dominating work and making their feedback the loudest, employees question their experience and contributions to the team.

But you don’t have to operate in a position like this. There are solutions!  Communicating with your leader about micromanagement is an intimidating thing to do, but it benefits everyone involved.

If you’re wondering how to approach this conversation with your micromanaging leader, there’s no need to worry. When you take their role and responsibilities into consideration, this conversation is much more approachable. Ready to take action and reclaim your work? Keep reading to learn about the six considerations you should think about before talking to your micromanaging leader.

1. Understand Their Position

The statement “walk a mile in someone else’s shoes” is applicable in navigating your work relationships. Taking the time to understand someone else’s perspective shows that you care about their role and responsibilities in the organization. Your leader is no different.

Micromanagement doesn’t always happen because of a lack of trust in employees. It might be the stress to deliver quality work, having a well-performing team, or plain inexperience. Think about it… leaders are often responsible for multiple tasks, several employees, and the outcome of each project. When something doesn’t go right, they’re often on the line for the mistake. Who wouldn’t be stressed having to perform at that level?

Oftentimes, micromanagement comes from a place of goodwill. Your leader is trying to make sure everything is going smoothly and everyone is on track. They might not even realize they’re doing it!

Before you speak with your leader, take a step back to understand their position, their own leader’s expectations of them, and the implications your work has on their success. Use these factors to your advantage. Acknowledge the stress they have to perform well and use it to reassure them that you and your coworkers can achieve these standards.

2. Understand Expectations and Deliverables

A great way to reduce micromanaging is to ask your leader what exactly they want from you. They’re tasked with ensuring deliverables are correct and accurate, but your leader might not specify what this means for your role. When you meet with your leader, ask them to specify their expectations for you. Negotiate these expectations. While they should be realistic, your leader shouldn’t expect 100% quality all the time.

Sit down with your leader and create a structured timeline that details review dates, deliverables, and a project schedule. A structure can ease your leader’s anxiety about your work and make them feel involved (without them completely taking over your work). Notify your coworkers about this structure so you can coordinate deliverables and your leader can get a holistic picture of the work being done at any given moment.

3. Send Updates

Communication is the backbone of a productive working relationship. Creating expectations about communication on specific work or projects, the quality desired, and update frequency is a good way to involve your leader.

Specify the communication vehicle for your updates. Do you send updates via email? Or does s/he want to have weekly meeting with you? Setting up specific times for updates and stick to the deadlines. You’ll be surprised how far these steps will help the way your leader interacts with you.

4. Ask for Feedback

Ask your leader for their input and feedback. Actively including your leader in updates assures them that their voice is heard and makes them feel better about the work you’re doing. Involving your leader in the process and consistently providing your agreed-upon deliverables builds a relationship of trust and experience.

If you’ve hit a roadblock or you’re unsure of the next steps, reach out to your leader for guidance. Chances are they’re more than happy to give their input on your work. I suggest making a list of specific questions and items you need help with. Formulating action plans or ideas for solving your issue gives your leader room to contribute without taking over the project.

5. Invite Open Communication

Communication is essential for completing your work tasks and building your relationship with your leader. If you’re unsure how much to communicate with your leader, know that over-communication is always better than not communicating enough. However, be careful about open communication. Some interactions might cross the line into micromanagement.

Set guidelines and boundaries about open communication. If your leader is worried about the direction of your work, encourage them to speak up before going in and changing it without informing you. Communication is a two-way street. You should feel empowered to communicate honestly to your leader when you feel like they’re beginning to micromanage. Stopping this behavior in its tracks by expressing how you’re feeling can be intimidating, but doing so respectfully encourages open communication and workplace trust.

If your organization struggles with implementing a culture of open communication, it doesn’t have to stay that way. I’m a change management expert that knows the values of belonging. If you’re interested in transforming your organization, contact me today!

6. Understand the Big Picture

The big picture of minimizing micromanagement is encouraging your leader to focus their energy on more strategic tasks, leaving you to complete your work. In the long run, minimizing micromanagement helps you and your colleagues be more efficient, feel better about the work you are producing, and encourage a culture of open communication and trust. Behavior change is something that can take a long time to adjust!

Approaching your leader and addressing micromanagement can be intimidating. However, know that the teams and employees who manage this issue with their leaders usually achieve positive results. Approach this conversation constructively and without judgment. People are resistant to change if they feel they’re being critiqued. Creating structure, communication, and involvement with your leader helps ease their anxiety and aid in their behavior changes.

Changes in organizational structure that work towards open communication and transparency mean working from the inside out. You can’t shift company culture all by yourself! At Transformation Strategies, I value promoting change that empowers employees and benefits the organization. If you’re curious about the support that Transformation Strategies could help with, reach out to me to get started!

About Transformation Strategies

Founded by Tricia Steege in 2001, Transformation Strategies is a trusted coaching and consulting firm that assists its clients to realize their desired futures by partnering with them to create comprehensive change strategies and develop their leaders to accomplish real results. We specialize in shifting whole systems at one time by helping our clients think the way the whole system thinks.