A nitpicker refers to picking nits, the eggs of lice, out of hair, and later picking out the lice themselves. A nitpicker is also how many people describe a micro-manager.
No one wants to work for a micro-manager. Well, except the few people who enjoy painful work environments, having someone looking over your shoulder, and people who want to be dominated by an overbearing boss.
Managing micro-managers is an important lesson to learn as you become more valuable to an organization.
My advice: Try to manage up, learn a few techniques but don’t do it forever. There is nothing worse than a boss who won’t let you do your job.
Having been a boss for decades, I must admit that I did my share of micro-managing talented people. But I eventually learned to alter that behavior by becoming a better communicator, manager, and mentor.
I also know that over my career, I worked for a few micro-managers and, by figuring out how to keep them informed and smiling – made my life better.
When Amy, a former colleague who worked on my marketing team in the late 2000s, came to me for help, she asked what she could do to improve her work environment with a new boss, a classic micro-manager. She needed a few practical steps to make her new job less frustrating.
Here were my suggestions:
- Is it possible you are at fault? Make sure you have clarity about what your boss wants and needs. Is it possible that you are busy – but not doing what she needs and when she needs it? The boss’ micromanaging may be necessary because you are unclear or unsure of what you need to do and when. Start by doing a little self-reflecting to make sure the root problem is that you aren’t on top of your work- or unclear on what needs doing.
- Do you have an agreement? Amy knew that her boss was overbearing in her demands, so I suggested that she sit down with her and create an agreement or understanding. Include the regular weekly sequence of events and when her boss needed to know the task was complete. In Amy’s case, she ended up sending her boss an email each morning of what she completed the day before and her plan for that day. It was a short, bullet point list but kept her boss up to date daily. Amy also had an agreement that said what the boss wanted to know daily, weekly, and monthly. Putting it into a semi-contact helped Amy’s boss know that there was a reporting plan. In my last full-time job, my boss Lars was great about making it clear what he needed me to keep him up to speed on. We agreed on what he needed to know- and what was too much information. It made for an enjoyable and productive work environment.
- Be proactive in anticipating their needs. Amy was often head down in her work – not aware of new things going on. So, when her boss came to her with a change in plans, she was surprised. To change something, Amy became better connected within the company, so she had a better idea of new projects and activities coming from above. She worked in marketing but built some friendships in sales, operations, and human resources. That way, she was better able to anticipate what her boss would need – before her boss knock on her door (or Zoomed into her day). Amy’s insecure, OCD boss needs to be managed up – so let her know every little thing you are doing until she says – “I have what I need.”
- Let them do the work. If your boss doesn’t trust you to complete an assignment, don’t be afraid to ask them if they’d prefer to handle the project? Tell them that you can do it but understand if they want to take that task because it’s important to your boss’ boss. Some bosses will want to do what they view as something sensitive or critical. A little jujitsu can get the task off your to-do list and onto the boss’ task list. If your boss is a stickler for relatively subjective decisions, let them make the call. Don’t be afraid to push work back up the hill.
Move On
If you can’t get out from an overbearing boss – quit. Well, find another job and then leave. Don’t waste too much time trying to fix or change your manager. It might not be worth the investment of your time and energy. Hire yourself a new boss by finding a better opportunity.
Most people leave companies, not because of salary or compensation. They leave because their managers are a pain to work for and impossible to please. I don’t like giving up – but let’s face it, sometimes moving to a new job with a more professional boss can give you just as much growth potential.
Is your boss a micro-manager? Try working through the issues by planning with your boss. If that fails after a few months of trying, move on.
Life is short, and it is rarely worth the effort to make an unreasonable boss more reasonable.
Need some coaching on a challenging work situation like a micro-manager?
You can set up a time to chat with me about your marketing challenges using my calendar. Email me jeffslater@themarketingsage.com Call me. 919 720 0995. The conversation is free, and we can explore if working together makes sense. Watch a short video about working with me.
