“Raise your hand if you like being micromanaged or you aspire to be a micromanaging boss.“

This is one of the questions I ask when I facilitate leadership training.  And, as you can probably guess, I’ve never had anyone raise their hand.

If you’re working for a micromanaging boss, here are a few ideas to help you improve the situation.

• Put yourself in your boss’s shoes: Nobody WANTS to be a micromanager.  Your boss might be afraid of losing control or failing to meet expectations.  Empathize with their experience and think about how you might be able to calm those fears and strengthen their trust in you.
• Clarify expectations: Ask your boss to describe successful performance. One of my favorite questions to ask is, “How can I exceed your expectations on this assignment and contribute to the company’s success?”  This question reminds your boss that you intend to do great work, and it also helps them focus on the higher-level goal rather than the details required to achieve that goal.
• Provide frequent updates: Establish a regular cadence to keep your boss informed. Your boss doesn’t want to be caught off guard or be unprepared to answer questions in business meetings.  This cadence establishes a pattern your boss can count on to help calm their fears and help them feel in control.
• Talk about it: Engage in an honest conversation about your work relationship.  Open up the discussion by describing what you’re noticing about their leadership behavior and how you’re interpreting it. For example, “I’ve noticed that you’ve asked me to copy you on all of my project emails, and it makes me feel like you don’t trust me.”  This gives your boss a non-threatening way of explaining the intent behind their behavior and leads to collaborating on more effective ways of working together.

The overarching themes in these tips are to approach the situation with empathy and work towards improving communication.  In my experience, those are the most powerful tools for developing, enhancing, and sustaining any relationship.

Wishing you the best!