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MANAGE THAT MICROMANAGER
Understanding the boss's motives for meddling is the first step to a peaceful coexistence
Does your boss give you a detailed list of instructions with every project? Is he or she e-mailing you constantly or dropping by your desk to make suggestions as you work? Do your reports come back looking like eighth-grade papers, with red marks and revisions galore?
You could be working for a micromanager, and you're not alone.
In his 2004 book "My Way or the Highway: The Micromanagement Survival Guide," author Harry Chambers reported that almost 80 percent of workers said they had been micromanaged to the point of its interfering with job performance at some point in their careers.
"When you have a boss who is trying to control every aspect of your work, it disempowers you. You can't spread your wings and grow," said Myra McElhaney, Atlanta-based corporate trainer and consultant. "People learn by doing things that they don't know how to do perfectly and being allowed to make mistakes. When someone is directing your every move, you don't feel like they trust you or respect you. Your productivity and morale are going to suffer."
Fortunately, there are strategies for managing a micromanaging boss and improving your workplace environment. The first step is to understand why bosses micromanage.
It might be a case of rampant perfectionism or ego. Some people really do believe that they know everything and the world should revolve around them.
"More often, however, the need to control stems from fear," said Doug Smart, a professional speaker, career coach and president of Smart Business. "Your boss might be afraid that if your work is not top-quality, it will make her look bad to the higher-ups."
Managers have had plenty of reasons to feel anxious about their jobs in the last decade of corporate restructuring.
"Or she may fear extra work. If you don't do the job as well as you should, then she will have to do it over," Smart said. "Or, the boss may fear the hassles or problems that might develop if you're left to your own devices. He figures he can head off problems before they happen by dictating every step of the way."
If you like your job, the pay, the company and your co-workers, you need to find a way to work with the micromanaging boss.
"What you have to do is build trust between you and your boss, with the object of getting him to treat you the way you want to be treated," Smart said. "You can't change the personality, but you can change the dynamic of the relationship. Remember that you are 50 percent of every relationship."
Five strategies for change
1. Find the boss's good qualities.
When someone doesn't trust you to make your own decisions, it clouds how you think about him or her. Thinking of your boss as an ogre, dictator or drill sergeant may blind you to some of his or her good qualities.
"You first have to separate the behavior from the person," McElhaney said. "It doesn't work to confront your boss by telling her she's a micromanager. Identify specifically what the person is doing that frustrates you." Is it the structuring of your workday, the time-consuming reports that you have to fill out, the pointless meetings, or his or her insistence on being copied on every e-mail or document?
By separating the behavior from the person, you might find that you respect your boss's position, hard work or experience, despite the micromanaging. That could be a place to start to build a better relationship and trust.
2. Be deliberate and thoughtful in reacting to your boss's behavior.
"It may be tempting to get even by sabotaging your boss. Maybe you'll decide not to do your best work, not tell him key pieces of information or treat him rudely," McElhaney said. "That usually reflects on you more than on him and could backfire.
"Approach his behavior professionally, with honesty and politeness. Treat him as you want to be treated. That comes from being deliberate and thoughtful about your actions, not just reacting to his. Hard work and professionalism could be noticed by others."
"By choosing to be responsible, reliable and true to your word, you can build trust and change behavior," Smart said.
For example, an office manager worked for a doctor who constantly was interfering with administrative tasks and getting the staff stirred up. Realizing that her boss had high standards and was afraid that everything wouldn't get done, she took a proactive approach to allay his fears. She suggested a Friday afternoon meeting to review the running of the office. In 30 minutes, they would review the completed week and preview the upcoming workweek.
"By [her] establishing an open communication, he felt informed about operations without having to be involved in everything that went on. He was more comfortable and less fearful about letting her do her job," Smart said.
3. Understand and adapt to the boss's behavioral style.
Not everyone works the same way. "One assistant had a boss who was creative, spontaneous and not a morning person. The assistant was task-oriented, consistent and liked to come in early, but she had to leave work on time in the afternoon in order to catch her train home," McElhaney said.
Inevitably, the boss would come up with new ideas or projects late in the afternoon and would make her assistant miss the train.
"[The assistant] began asking her boss if there was anything she needed to do an hour before quitting time. If it was more than she could finish, she assured her boss that she would be in early the next morning and would it get it done by the time the boss arrived. Her strategy helped balance their work styles and retrained her boss not to call for help at the last minute," McElhaney said. "Adapting to someone else's needs goes against the grain of some people, but it's easier if you focus on the goal you want to achieve."
4. Identify the boss's objectives and calm his or her fears.
"Put yourself in your boss's shoes and ask yourself two questions: 'What does he desire?' and 'what does he fear?' " McElhaney said.
If your boss wants to look good to his or her boss and wants the work to be done correctly, then focus on accuracy in your work. Check back early with updates. Assure him or her that you understand the importance of the work and that it needs to be right.
"Show him that you can be an ally in reaching his goals and not a potential problem," she added.
"Keep in mind that micromanaging can be in the eye of the beholder," Smart said. "Some personality types want to be left alone to work, while others appreciate having direction and their boss involved. They don't want full responsibility."
While one person sees someone breathing down his or her neck, another sees a boss who cares. There's a fine line between mentoring and micromanaging. Before you address the issue with your boss, take a close look at the quality of your work and whether the micromanaging is teaching you important skills or keeping you from making costly mistakes.
5. Know when to get assertive -- and when to call it quits.
"If the situation is making you miserable, then it's time for an assertive conversation with your boss," McElhaney said.
She describes "assertive" using the image of children drawing pretend playhouses in the dirt. Playmates will step over the lines to visit someone else's house, because stepping on the lines makes them disappear.
" 'Aggressive' is someone who steps all over your lines," she said. " 'Passive' is allowing someone to step on your lines, but 'assertive' is protecting your boundaries, while at the same time respecting the boundaries of others."
McElhaney suggests that employees use a behavior, effect, feelings/thoughts and results model for an assertive conversation. First, state the behavior you think is excessive, such as double-checking all your work, she said. Describe the effect: It costs both the employee and boss time -- time that he or she could spend effectively managing higher tasks. Tell him or her how it makes you feel, such as like a child or as though he or she has no respect for your abilities. Then present the result you would like: "Could we handle this differently in the future? How about if I do the work, and you give me feedback on the final product?"
The behavior may not change. There are dysfunctional and incompetent bosses who have no interest in learning new skills. If nothing happens, you can wait for the boss to move on, ask for a transfer or look for a new job.
"If you've given it your best shot, and nothing happens, chalk it up to a bad environment for you," Smart said. You'll be happier and more productive somewhere else.
