How to Work with a Superior that Enjoys Micromanaging.
by Michael O’ Adetu
The workplace is a dynamic environment. People from different backgrounds, cultures, beliefs, values, experiences, and interests are daily compelled to work with one and another in order to achieve the overall objective of the organisation. Having a superior that micromanage you can be stressful and emotionally challenging. You are practically not given enough room or opportunity to have control over the task given to you. This i believe in most cases puts people under performance pressure, become less creative, and much more worried about making mistake than focusing on getting the task given done. Micromanagement is just an outcome of other contributing factors from private life or organisation (can even be both). These contributing factors which I am going to be pointing out shortly are in most cases reason for lack of trust and confidence to delegate down the ladder. So how would you as a passionate worker work with a superior that micromanages? Here are some points you could consider.
1. Discuss Expectations
one mistake many people make is not discussing in detail the expectations from the two ends when being given a task. People that micromanage are most likely dealing with the issue of trust. A clear discussion on what you are expected to do will be useful in setting you on the path of gaining trust. Ask when you are expected to complete the task (remember to ask how frequently you are expected to provide an update about the progress of the task and in what format and form of communication are you expected to provide the progress update) and other questions you might think will be relevant. For example, if you have been given a task to find out the price the target market is willing to pay for the new product your company is working on and you are expected to submit a comprehensive report based on your findings. You will probably want to know the duration you are expected to complete the task, the resources available for the task, the number of people you will be working with, people you are expected to give progress update and the list of people you will be sharing the complete report with and so on. You’d better ask silly questions than working with an assumption that you know what you are expected to do.
2. Show that you are Credible
Your credibility at the workplace is important and determines the level of trust you get from people. If you have the habit of producing a shabby work and not meeting up with deadlines, people will perceive you to be incompetent. If this is who you are, then you are not in any position to complain about being micromanaged. Your company is still in business because people have committed their money, time, and talent to keep it open. The best you can do at least is to step up and be responsible for playing your role. This is not by anyways to justify micromanagement; but you have to work hard to earn your credibility especially when your superior find it hard to trust and delegate. This will not happen overnight that I can tell you from experience. You should commit yourself to excellence knowing that you have an obligation to show that you have all it takes not to be micromanaged before you can get a good job done in time. Probably you could start by only accepting tasks you know you can do confidently.
3. Always get feedback after completing a task
Feedback is one good way to help you identify why you are being micromanaged. Sometimes it might be that you are being micromanaged because of your poor performance and not necessarily because your superior is insecure or have trust issues. Communicate to your superior why feedback is important to you. You can say ‘I would sincerely appreciate constructive feedback from you as I believe this will help me improve in my next task and probably gain your trust in carrying out my assignment excellently’. Feedback is one good way to learn, read in between the line to identify what has not been said and probably find out how your superior perceive you as a worker.
4. Build Relationship and communicate how you feel
Most of the time issues of micromanagement in the workplace are not resolved or partially solved due to lack of communication. Not everyone is comfortable talking about issues at the workplace (some people just do not like a confrontational conversation). Not talking about issues is one of the reason there are stacks of negative emotion at the workplace; this not only limit your performance at work- but your private life can also be badly affected. There is nothing wrong with discussing your concerns with regard to being micromanaged at work. Be polite, choose your words carefully (not being rude or defensive) and communicate your concerns. Let your superior know-how being micromanaged makes you feel about your job and how this is affecting your ability to put in your best in your job. For example, you could say ‘I would like to say thank you (put the name and be mindful of the culture here- this I will write about sometime soon) for giving me the opportunity to work with you and learn from you. I could not have asked for a better supervisor/manager, and I am always proud to be part of your team. I must say that I will really want you to trust me more with any task you assign to me as I feel I am being micromanaged. Often I usually get less motivated when this happens and unhappy about my job. I know I might be wrong with my conclusion but I will sincerely want you to trust me more; thank you’. A statement like this can turn the ship around for you. Also, it is wise to take out time to understand the best way to work with a superior or manager you will be spending 8 out of your 12hours in a day with. When you build a relationship at work, your job will become less stressful.
In some cases, managers who are inexperienced tend to micromanage and the ones that are experienced can find it hard to delegate certain responsibilities to a worker who is not experienced or incompetent. Whatever the case may be, it is your responsibility to prove your worth and be trusted.
Do you agree?
