7 signs you're dealing with a micromanager (and how to manage them) (2023)

FAQs

How do you outsmart a micromanager? ›

Begin with, “I've been tasked with completing this project, and I feel like you don't trust me to do it.” If they confirm, or continue their micromanaging behavior, tell them, “this is the job I've been hired to do, and I deserve the chance to do it–my way–without interference.

Bullying tendencies: Micromanagement can be a form of workplace bullying. Some micromanagers insist on a steady stream of detailed reports and check-ins as a form of hazing. This is abusive behavior and must be nipped in the bud.

When you micromanage, you actively show a lack of trust in your employees. Micromanagement makes it look like you don't trust your employees, you don't believe they are competent, and like you don't want them to do their jobs. As a result, they don't trust you, and your workplace culture is destroyed.

When a boss micromanages every minute detail of your work, it makes for a toxic work environment that in turn affects productivity. Trust is a key factor to enable people to manage their work responsibly. While some bosses get this, some refuse to even try to understand how micromanaging may be harmful.

Micromanagement can have a number of negative psychological effects on employees, including anxiety, stress, and low self-esteem. Employees who are micromanaged often feel like they are not trusted or valued by their employer. They may also feel belittled, intimidated, and disempowered.

Make them aware

The first step is making them aware of their micromanaging tendencies. Use honest and respectful communication. Some bosses who micromanage may not know that they are overbearing. First of all, don't accuse them of "micromanaging." Use more concrete terms and examples.

Consider pointing out specific behaviors and the impact they have on you to heighten awareness. Example: "When you watch me do calculations for our performance report each week, I feel like I'm being micromanaged and that you don't have confidence in my abilities."

Why do people micromanage? According to the Harvard Business Review, the two main reasons managers micromanage are: They want to feel more connected with lower-level workers. They feel more comfortable doing their old job, rather than overseeing employees who now do that job.

Interestingly enough, narcissist bosses demand empathy, understanding and respect from others but can't give the same in return. Narcissist bosses are also micromanagers. Morton said, they “micromanage the workforce because it makes them feel important and like they're in command, large and in charge.

What is the root cause of micromanagement? ›

What Causes Micromanagement? Often the main cause of micromanagement is the lack of leadership skills and trust in employees. In addition, the fear of losing power and position often plays a major role.

The psychology of micromanagers

A number of psychological studies have shown time and again that managers who felt insecure, anxious, or otherwise uncomfortable in their role are far less willing to allow their direct reports take control of projects or work on their own terms.

Too often, micromanaging is justified as perfectionism when really it's a form of manipulation to control others. It creates a codependent relationship where the employee is fearful to do anything without their boss's approval.

Micromanagement is often a symptom of control issues. Instead of delegating, micromanagers will take on or have a hand in all functions. These bosses seem to believe that the workplace will fall apart if they do not oversee every step.

Author Patrick Lencioni calls it the abdication manager. In his work with people at the top level in organizations, for every real micromanager, he sees dozens of abdication managers. Abdication managers know few details about what their subordinates are working on.

Micromanagement looks somewhat like and may be connected to obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD). OCD causes people to focus too much on the details, to the point of losing touch of reality. A micromanager tries to control every detail to the point of losing focus of the bigger picture.

Micromanaging or micromanagement is a negative term that refers to management style. It is very well defined by Gartner: Micromanagement is a pattern of manager behavior marked by excessive supervision and control of employees' work and processes, as well as a limited delegation of tasks or decisions to staff.

A micromanager is a boss or manager who gives excessive supervision to employees. A micromanager, rather than telling an employee what task needs to be accomplished and by when—will watch the employee's actions closely and provide frequent criticism of the employee's work and processes.

A macro manager is the opposite of a micromanager, a supervisor who constantly looks over employees' shoulders and is often perceived as controlling and overly critical.

How do you tell your boss is trying to get rid of you? ›

Examples of micromanagement

Absence of delegation: the manager carries out all important business themselves. Excessive documentation: the employees can be seen giving updates and preparing reports very frequently. Pedantic behavior: the manager focuses excessively on every small detail.

▲ To manage, direct, or control a person, group, or system to an unnecessary level of detail or precision. control. nitpick. oversee.

You may show empathy towards him, making him feel important by saying things like “I understand how important this project is to the company but without you, it would have been impossible for me to accomplish it”… “I appreciate you to guide me at every step, making the result looks like so positive and as per your ...

Micromanagement also kills trust. Employees will not trust a leader who burdens them with a never-ending scrutiny of their performance. This lack of trust leads to lower productivity and high turnover rates. Employees who are micromanaged will lose confidence in their own abilities to perform well on the job.

A narcissistic boss feels entitled to privileges and special treatment. They will manipulate workers to get what they want, even if it means stealing credit for another person's work product. They'll constantly seek out praise from their staff.

These results suggest that the self-esteem of vulnerable narcissists is low, and their fragile sense of self-worth is hypersensitive and labile, while grandiose narcissists have generally higher and more stable self-esteem.

Is micromanaging a personality disorder? ›

Being a perfectionist or workaholic is not necessarily a good thing, and—together with other personality traits such as a tendency to micromanage other people—might be a warning sign that someone has obsessive-compulsive personality disorder (OCPD).

Micromanagers, she said, tend to have deep-seated insecurities. “A micromanager is a person who probably has a poor self-image, so he or she doesn't believe they deserve to be where they are, and so thinks the same about the people they supervise,” she said.

What is micromanagement? Micromanagement is where managers feel the need to control aspects of their employee's work & decision-making to an extreme degree - more than is necessary or healthy for a usual working relationship. Many people have experienced micromanagement at some point in their careers.

Interestingly enough, narcissist bosses demand empathy, understanding and respect from others but can't give the same in return. Narcissist bosses are also micromanagers. Morton said, they “micromanage the workforce because it makes them feel important and like they're in command, large and in charge.

While some micromanagers may gloss over this behavior as perfectionism or high-performance, it's actually a form of control. Experts have even argued that micromanagement creates a codependent relationship with employees wherein people can't function independently without the meddling of the manager.

A tell-tale sign of a toxic boss is someone who sets unrealistic expectations for their employees. Whether they expect their employee to meet an impossibly high standard or unreasonable deadline, you'll notice something is amiss when employees begin to burn out, disengage, and even leave the company.

What is hands on vs micromanaging? ›

One of the major differences between hands-on managers and micromanagers is the ability to set boundaries. Often, micromanagers struggle to set boundaries, and they supervise employees closely as they complete tasks. However, hands-on managers stay involved with their employees while setting boundaries.

Author Patrick Lencioni calls it the abdication manager. In his work with people at the top level in organizations, for every real micromanager, he sees dozens of abdication managers. Abdication managers know few details about what their subordinates are working on.

While micromanagement may produce some immediate response, it tends to lower company morale and creates a hostile workplace.

When you micromanage you're telling the employee that you don't trust them enough to work on their own and still produce good results. Sometimes that's justified, e.g. in the case of an untrained employee, or for more sensitive workflows.