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“Let’s hop on a call and let you show me your work.”
“Schedule a meeting so I can see your progress.”
“Fill out these forms so we can track your what you’re doing.”
“Here’s the 3rd time tracking system that I need you to use to track your efforts.”
Do any of those sound familiar? You might be stuck with a micromanager, or worse, stuck in an entire company that supports micromanaging all employees.
In the times when I’ve dealt with a micromanager, I always had one question: Why hire me, a professional and educated person, to do this job, pay me tens of thousands of dollars to do it, and then not TRUST me to do it? The behavior doesn’t make any damn sense.
If you’re not familiar with micromanagement, let’s define it: micromanagement is a management style that involves close supervision of employees’ work, often resulting in a lack of autonomy, trust, and creativity. While some managers may simply be detail-oriented, others may take micromanagement to the extreme, which can be detrimental to employees’ productivity and job satisfaction. So, how can you tell if your manager is a micromanager? Here are some signs to look out for:
They don’t delegate
If your manager insists on doing everything themselves, or is hesitant to delegate tasks, it may be a sign that they lack trust in their employees’ abilities. Micromanagers often feel the need to oversee every aspect of a project, which can be frustrating and demotivating for employees.
They require constant updates
Micromanagers often require frequent progress updates, sometimes several times a day, to ensure that work is being done correctly. This constant need for updates can be a sign that your manager does not trust you to work independently and can create an oppressive work environment.
They scrutinize every detail
A micromanager may scrutinize every detail of your work, often pointing out minor mistakes or suggesting changes that do not improve the quality of the work. This can be frustrating for employees, who may feel that they are not trusted to do their job correctly.
They interfere with your work
Micromanagers may interfere with your work by constantly making changes or taking over tasks that are not their responsibility. This can be demotivating for employees, who may feel that their contributions are not valued.
They don’t listen to feedback
Micromanagers may not be open to feedback or suggestions from employees. They may feel that their way of doing things is the only way, which can limit creativity and innovation in the workplace.
What are some other signs of a micromanager? What’s your worst experience with a micromanager?
One response to “How to Tell if Your Boss is a Micromanager”
[…] this previous blog post, I shared some ways to help you identify if you’re stuck with a micromanager. In this blog post, […]