My boss is micromanaging everything I do, even when I get something done if it's not exactly according to procedure she makes me re-do it.
I'm not the kind of person who can work with tight constraints. I need to flexibility to be productive. How can I regain trust with my boss (I assume this is the issue) so that we can make it through the next couple of months?
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7 Comments
7 Comments
Lesa Edwards
842
THE career expert for high achievers
02/08/21 at 4:27PM UTC
Why do you believe you have lost your boss' trust? If you have reason to believe this is the case, I recommend sitting down with him/her to lay out expectations, time management, and oversight. Let him/her know that you aren't able to do your best work under tight scrutiny, and negotiate for a compromise that will reassure your boss while allowing you the space to do your job effectively.
It could be that your boss is a micromanager - regardless of how you perform your job. You can have essentially the same conversation with him/her, but know that a micromanager is operating from a place of fear and won't likely be swayed by your words. Looking elsewhere may be your only option with this type of boss.
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Katie R.
37
Leadership Coach
02/08/21 at 4:37PM UTC
This might be a situation where this isn't about you but rather, your boss. I agree with @lesa edwards in the initial question around whether this is about trust? Without asking boss if this is the case, you may be answering instead to an unhelpful inner critic that is telling you this. Without more context, micromanagers tend to be compensating for something else. Their own insecurities and fears that you will never be able to address. Try this, the next time this type of re-do request occurs, try an experiment.....what happens if you seek to understand they "why" behind the re-do? What if in this conversation you begin to understand more about your boss while also letting this person know more about what is going on for you. Be brave, be respectful and seek to understand first without assuming this is about you. Perhaps boss will surprise you and learn something new about themselves as a result. Good luck and keep us posted!
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Anonymous
02/08/21 at 4:46PM UTC
Hi I agree it may not be a matter of trust at all. Micromanagers will do that as they lack manager skills or feel threatened and insecure. The better you are at your job then micromanagers tend to be worse in my experience as they feel someway threatened by your skills and overcompensate by micromanaging more. It is not about you at all. Micromanagers rarely change but it is worth asking specific questions about their expectations on the way you do your work and letting them know on your preferred work style and coming to a compromise.
1 Reply
Anonymous
02/09/21 at 3:56PM UTC
I went through this with a younger boss. Management recruited her and created a position for her. This was her first management position. We had a good rapport for the first few months but things turned sour as her lack of knowledge and experience became apparent. She micromanaged me horribly in order to compensate. The more I accomplished, the more she turned up the micromanaging.
She wasn't able to provide real guidance and expertise, so she started to go overboard taking notes on everything I said during meetings and required I send her all of my tasks in a spreadsheet every week. I had always been a very independent, self-directed worker, one of those staffers a supervisor would assign tasks to, set a due due and step back. I really did not even need her for anything. She more or less became a secretary from hell for me keeping track of every little thing I did and blowing up small issues into international crises. I eventually left for a new position.
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ROMICHA COOPER
48
Don't wait for anyone to lead you, lead yourself
02/08/21 at 5:34PM UTC
Communication is key, schedule time to inform your boss how this micromanaging impacts you, teach people how to treat you.
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Anonymous
02/08/21 at 6:38PM UTC
I would request a meeting to review your performance and plan for the next 6 months. I would ask her for suggestions on you can improve and reduce the amount of oversight required for your work.
User edited comment on 02/08/21 at 6:39PM UTC
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Leslie Caleb
50
02/15/21 at 6:27PM UTC
Sometimes it has to do with type A personalities, lack of leadership skills or habit created through previous experiences. I personally think that at times sliding into this type of situation with a confrontational mindset might be contra productive. You should definitely communicate how you perceive the situation, how you feel and ask questions why it is happening. Another approach could be to "involve" your boss in your decisions and see how will plays out. Ask their opinion before sending out that presentation, ask for their mentorship. I am well aware is not for everybody, but I believe in peaceful conflict resolution. Good Luck!
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