Neutralizing the Micromanager - 2017 Fall Spectrum

MICROMANAGEMENTMICROMANAGEMENTNeutralizing the micromanager — the one you work for, or the one inside youBy Lauren YostNNeutroamlaitzteirnhgowtohutestamndinicgrthoemorgaannizaatigone, rres—ourctehs oer teoamn,ea you wobrlek, bfuot rth,eorerartehsetepos nyoeu ciannstaidkee youBy LauremnaYnoagsetr’s style can make or break its success. to minimize the impact and block the bad behaviors before they happen.A micromanager can inadvertently breed lack of engagement, low morale, and Broadly, these steps could be charac-Npoor productivity for both staff and the organization. terized as managing up, which, even o matter how outstanding the organization, resources or team, a if youbldeo, nb’ut thtahveerea amreicrsotempasnyaoguingcan take If emplomyeaensafgeeerl’sthsatyt ltehceaynarmeankoet or bdreoanke iatsnyswucacye?sOs.r worse, the boss will boss, taoremginreimatizteecthhneiqimuepsatcot amndakbelock thetrusted to do the job they were hired discard a completed work and redo the mboastdobf eyhoauvriobrosssb’sefionrteeratchteioynshappen.feaawdoAptdncerirotcguldiIlooiemosfsrrtsnoieoitaetpsrcohdrn,mrrpeasoottre.tpmoductvtlTauhooemakdhnencynipoeittsenriuaetvegmaegtdasihnxetloilyeptrfnyblseeyiyftcjetrootiaiolahrbebtnrthtonebgihivetscoainhaeienentrgtehaaioyezdtmndsrhmevdtiwdaeasempn,kymfrelftnaadoreiageaokyesnresnwiaeetnhereddl’ldgyiss--nrtehobdetreoetitfdnhorrdauggeoIyasfldd.watwnfrioOatcshaihhnmzkchtoeyaeea,liodtrelydaiwidfoaoetnahanrsuey,aniic.ntnwrdyk…gigcoeapaoeudhrytgimipii?geomsmhmenOcp-ntoaslereoygm—natwarebtbigh,dnooyeeelgorvdorwoseus,wbeneoa,sllweofmcret.hkkoveoomeenfeardtbaatnheahcoldeirhless-l,sarwenddiolwa“SglAibtvieltreehpeay1yytbtBisofeho:osorureLueuosiytorzsaaomt,odeondumodkdoalhyiiarnsd,ainmetnmgostathaonghagmkoe’frenetersearyyeMhahyntotheoascaiuurtaivrg.netrrueieaopgnscbrsgeamhtohcnusomfoapsiortqu’,erisuclcwdvreoicoansouhblmtunlieedtc--raohcanh,camategirvoaianekncnges-lifnoer-odrritvheant tehmeiprleoxypeeeriwenilcle saundddkennloywl- job.thYeowuhodolent’thiwnganhtimto- olreahveer;seylfo.u cern?”waitshksyoMuaratnind Wmeabkseteyr,oua alemado-re valu-seedemge taorepcroocnrsatsatnintalyte b—eingafdteirsmailsl,sed just wIifshthyeoudecsocurlidptgioetnsyoaubrobvoessseteom alelrshipacbolnesausltsaentttoanhdimowonrehr eorf. www.wahnadt’sotrhetrpuominpteodf cboymtphleetiirngmaapnraogj-er’s chatnogoe fhaims oirliahre,r ydoeustrmucatyivebewaoynse. of thleeadershipthoughts.com. You may feeleaccttoiorntsa,skevinenatutiamllyelythmoasneneermwphloeynees frustrated and disengaged, wonderm- icromStaenpag1e:dLoboeckauinsethyeouMr ibrorossr re-hwisitlolrystoinpditcaaktiensgthineitmiaitcirvoemoarnamgiankging MainnaggiwnhgyUypou keep coming back eachviews“eAverrey yoonue odfoyionugr apnreystshrienlgeatshesat couldbdoescsiwsioillntsa.kTehiteomveorsotroarsgsaenrtizaeddi,ffdere-ad- Autdhaeyn.tOichc,hawnagiet…inryigohutr —micyrooumlaonv-e thibseforegtihveey gyoouorut,mbuatniafgyeoru’cvaeumseadefor con-elnint ed-dirreicvteionn ebmefpolroeytehee ewmilpl losyuedediesnly aginjogbb. oYssomu adyoonr’tmwayantottboe lpeoasvsei-; youmore tchearn?a”coauskpsleMofamrtisntaWkeesbinsttehr,e a lead-seem to procrastinate — after all, just wish you could get your boss to ership conscounlttianunetdaonn dnexotwpanger of www.wh2a4t’sStPhEeCTpRoUinMt o| FfALcLo2m01p7leting a proj- change his or her destructive ways. leadershipthoughts.com. You may feelect or task in a timely manner when micromanaged because your boss re-

past (or perhaps just one big one), he stressors so you can help ease them, you get to shift the balance of theor she has not only a right, but also an rather than suffer through them. positive-to-negative feedback ratio.obligation to ensure the information is More importantly, it forces your bosscorrect. The question is: What are you Step 4: Understand Your Manager to hear his or her own voice affirmdoing to regain your boss’s trust? Taking the time to understand your “you’ve got this.” The more he or she boss’s needs and what he or she is try- says it, the more your boss will begin Rachel Radwinsky of Transforma- ing to achieve may uncover the rea- to believe it and feel more comfort-tion Associates asks, “Is it because son why he or she holds so tightly to able in pulling back.you just don’t like being managed?” certain things and expects perfectionor feel you are “above” being man- from others. Ensuring you’re pursu- Step 7: Speak Up, But Cautiouslyaged? Independent personality types, ing common goals and not working If you’ve exhausted all of the tacticspeople who have never had to man- on separate agendas will help build above and you’re still experiencingage others or people who have been trust and buy you more freedom. the acute control freak, try address-in higher positions than their current Acknowledging the pressure your ing the behavior head-on — withone could easily fall into that trap. boss is under to meet demands from respect. Avoid being confrontationalThe reality, however, is that everyone above and showing empathy will in- or using the “M-word,” but instead,in the organization has someone he spire confidence that you understand describe what your boss is doing (sec-or she is accountable to, even a CEO. what’s important to your supervisor. ond-guessing you) and tell him or herIt may not be micromanagement that’s how it makes you feel (mistrusted).bothering you, just management. Step 5: Communicate If that doesn’t seem to go anywhere, Early and Often reach out to others who report to your If your self-reflection is blem- The more work you do in the begin- boss. Odds are, you’re not the onlyish-free, the rest of these steps will ning to determine what your boss is one experiencing this behavior andprovide tools to defuse the classic mi- really looking for — not just what, getting them all on board with stepscromanager. but why — the easier it will be for two through six may help. If you are you to deliver results that meet ex- the only one experiencing your bossStep 2: Do Your Job Well pectations and for your boss to leave as a micromanager, you may want toMeeting deadlines and produc- the “how” up to you. Establish at go back and review step one.ing quality work are the strongest the onset when he or she will wantantidotes to micromanagement. check-ins and progress reports, and Obviously, the responsibility doesBuilding your boss’s trust and con- make sure you stay on top of them not rest on the shoulders of the em-fidence that you can be counted on (if not pre-empt them). Keeping your ployee to “fix” a micromanagingis paramount to loosening the leash. boss in the loop will build confidence boss, but if these steps can help im-Demonstrate consistently that there that you have everything under con- prove the relationship, it may at leastis nothing there to pick at, and the trol, and the required check-ins will fix your frequent urge to call in sicknitpicking will stop. become fewer and fewer. or update your resume. Where the responsibility does lie is squarely onStep 3: Look for Patterns Step 6: Ask How You’re Doing the shoulders of the manager whoseBeing a student of human behavior The micromanaging boss may not re- crushing style is having a negativewill help you at least recognize, if alize his or her uber-oversight equates impact on not just staff, but likely thenot predict, a micromanaging mo- to negative feedback to the employee. whole organization.ment. It’s probably not everything, Each exchange is nullifying any pos-just certain things that push your itive feedback the supervisor may be Look for the conclusion of thisboss’s buttons and incite the inter- giving. Regularly asking your boss three-part series in the January issue,ference. Make note and make them how you’re doing not only gives the which will provideLasuixrentipYossfto, SrPsHhRe, d-a priority. Or it may not be your two of you the opportunity to iden- ding the “micro” wSiHthRMou-StCwP,eisaCkhenieifngwork that’s the problem, but some- tify and address any needed course the management. Operating Officerthing else that winds your boss up corrections, but if things are on track,with doubt, and you are collateral of the Nationaldamage. Get to know your boss’s Association of Black Accountants, Inc. FALL 2017 | SPECTRUM 25