Micro manager
Ask Kate Column - How to deal with a micro manager
“Daf” writes: “What is your recommendation if you feel your employer micro-manages you and that after x years you feel you’ve lost skills rather than gained skills?”
Kate answers: It’s time to start job hunting. Daf, can there be any other answer to your question? If you were someone who was willing to just put up with it you would not have written to me.
I will get back to job hunting in a minute. One way to tackle a mico manager is to confront them. Don’t call them a micro manager but rather approach it that you want to assist them by freeing up more of their time. Suggest a weekly Work In Progress meeting - or if they are a really bad case, then suggest a daily very WIP at the same time each day. List down the items you are working on and progress in brief such as: “Will be finished today”, “Expected finish tomorrow”. As you finish tasks they disappear from the list. Drowning your manager in information can see them back off.
Also, look to learn something new either through training at work, an external course or even something unrelated. It is vital you don’t let this experience define you. If you search the word “Micromanagement” online I challenge you to find one positive thing said about it. This is your manager’s failing - not yours.
In my experience there are two reasons people micro-manage. Either something has happened to your performance OR micro-management is just their style. In my opinion, bosses who micro-manage are insecure - they are worried about making mistakes so it follows they are worried about you making mistakes.
They also have poor rapport with their team, have failed to build up trust and they are poor communicators. If only their boss was paying closer attention they might get the training they so desperately need to be an effective leader but that’s not your problem. Put yourself first and find a new opportunity.
Don’t rush it. Make sure you have a job to go to. First, do a little research. Job hunting online and in newspapers will show you what jobs are out there and what skills and qualifications employers are looking for. Review/update your resume and work your contacts.
Check in with your referees to make sure they’ll still be your referees and that you have their latest title and switchboard phone numbers. With your current job, see if you can find a former manager to be your referee.
The situation you describe is a double whammy - a boss who doesn’t give you breathing room as well as any training and development. You must act.
Ask Kate, written by CareerOne.com.au Editor Kate Southam, is syndicated by News Limited newspapers around Australia.
