How to Manage the MicroManager?

Do you have a supervisor who constantly ask for updates or wants to know the step by step efforts being made on a project or case? It's very annoying!

Here are a few pointers to help navigate the workplace with a Micromanager:

💫 Organize yourself (develop a system where you are able to get to your files, emails, etc easily because the micromanager seems to always pop up at the most inconvenient times for no damn reason) 💫 Build trust with the micromanager and try to understand why they need to have control of everything- this can help you understand how to formulate your responses 💫 Change your perspective from this person is annoying as hell to the more information they have the happier they will be and it makes me look good too 💫 Document all of your efforts especially around high priority tasks and deadlines... communicate these efforts with the micromanager it keeps them in the loop and “in control” 💫 FRONT LOAD them with the details: how, what, where, who, when, why... this is my BIGGEST ADVICE... Become the King/Queen of overkill (lol) with the details- it keeps them away longer 💫 Open Communication 💫 If the micromanager is a direct supervisor, send an agenda before supervision. Bring the agenda to supervision and again Front load them with the details where it leaves no space for follow up question (ok maybe not no space but to the point where they feel confident enough and in control) 💫 Ask for support where needed... sometimes they need busy work 😂 Again, this is not a catch all list but just some quick pointers on how I survived managers with good intentions but horrible execution. Micromanagers mean well (most of the time)-usually they have to answer to someone and they want to look good and stay in control. The problem is they are very good at raising our blood pressure and showing us where we are falling short in some areas.

Take a deep breath. You got this!

Kenia Maldonado, LMSW