7 Strategies to Deal With a Micromanaging Boss

Have you ever had to deal with a micromanager at work? You might know the feeling of being watched over your shoulder, hounded for constant updates, and asked to send every little thing to your leader for approval—despite having a clear understanding of your responsibilities and being totally competent in your role! So, what do you do when you’ve got a boss who micromanages and makes doing your job difficult? It’s not an easy situation to deal with, but I’m going to share seven ways you can deal with a micromanager and take back ownership and independence in your work.

What Is Micromanagement?

Micromanagement is a leadership style where the leader or project supervisor has an extreme amount of control and input—much more than what’s needed for a team member to do their job well. The leader’s need for control can stifle their team’s creativity, create unnecessary stress, and drag down morale. And unfortunately, this experience is all too common in the workforce. According to Forbes:

• 79% of employees have experienced micromanagement
• 71% said micromanagement interfered with their job performance
• 85% reported a negative impact on their morale
• 69% thought about changing jobs due to micromanagement
• 36% did change jobs¹

Whether micromanagement is intentional or not, this leadership style can have multiple negative effects on employees. Overinvolvement of a leader can cause emotional and even physical symptoms for the team—like anxiety, frustration and a lack of motivation or enthusiasm for their work.

Signs of Micromanaging

Here’s the thing about micromanagement that I want to clarify: It’s an extreme form of holding someone accountable that oversteps boundaries. A good leader can assign tasks and set expectations without needing to constantly monitor every bit of progress or butting into their team’s personal communication. But for micromanagers, insecurity, fear and a need for control drives them to cross professional lines. Look out for these signs of micromanaging to see if your boss’s involvement in your work has become toxic: 

• Needing constant updates on progress or assignments
• Wanting to be copied on all emails or other communication
• Telling you how to do tasks that you’re already equipped for and able to do
• Wanting to approve everything you create (and often making changes or slowing your progress)
• Changing goalposts and timelines
• Spying on your device usage or tracking your time
• Creating complicated policies or processes that slow down your work unnecessarily
• Expecting you to be availabile after work hours most days or weekends

Whew! I feel on edge just reading this list. But luckily there are ways to work with a micromanaging boss while still being professional and empathizing with their insecurities.

How to Deal With a Micromanaging Boss

If you think you’re working with a boss who micromanages, here are seven strategies to help you interact with them in a patient and professional way.

1. Understand why the micromanaging is happening.

Your leader is afraid of a negative outcome and wants to control a project or process to ensure a positive outcome. You have to identify what’s causing their fear of failure and what the possible negative outcomes of that failure may be. That way, you can help assure them that you’re looking out for the team’s best interests.

2. Build their belief in you.

Show up to work on time, leave on time, and be on mission while you’re on the clock. Deliver results with consistent excellence to show your boss they don’t need to worry about you. The more you demonstrate consistency in showing up, the more your leader will begin to trust you. If you haven’t met your performance expectations, that could be why your leader is keeping a tight watch on your work.

3. Communicate, communicate, communicate.

A great way to deal with a micromanaging boss is to set up a weekly meeting to discuss what you’re working on and any challenges you’re facing. Ask your leader for clear expectations and guidelines on projects. After the meeting, email them regular updates to eliminate their need to constantly check on you.

4. Offer solutions.

What’s your leader worried about? Be proactive and bring ideas that alleviate the fears creating stress for your manager. Anticipate questions or concerns your leader might have and address them before they’re raised. (Not only will this ease their stress, but this approach to work can demonstrate your leadership potential and help position you for a promotion.)

5. Set boundaries.

If working with your leader is challenging (and not in a good way), it’s time to have an honest conversation with them about what you’re experiencing. Before your next one-on-one, outline the ways their micromanaging negatively affects your work, and make suggestions for how you could work together more cooperatively. Respectfully communicate how your boss’s micromanagement is impacting your morale and performance.

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Then, suggest a trial period for alternative ways of communicating or working together, like a new weekly check-in sequence or daily summaries of what you accomplished. Setting professional boundaries, like around when and how you’ll communicate goals and stick to them, can protect you from being overworked.

6. Document everything you do and when you do it.

Keep records of your work and communications. This can help in case there are misunderstandings about what’s been agreed to or completed and when it all happened.

7. Stay positive.

Control what you can control. Don’t let your boss get you down! Be a model of healthy working habits and character. Be grateful for your work and the income. Focus on the aspects of your job that you enjoy before you find a better opportunity (if that’s your plan). Keeping a positive and grateful attitude can help you rise above your frustrations and win at work.

Micromanagement (Usually) Isn’t About You

There’s only so much you can do to ease someone else’s workplace fear and anxiety. If you’ve exhausted all your options when it comes to working with a micromanager and the situation just isn’t improving, it may be time to find a new position.

Now, I only suggest this if you’re working in a truly hostile environment and it looks like there’s no other way to better your situation or relationship with your leader. If that’s the case, I suggest checking out my Get Clear Career Assessment to explore roles and industries that could be an even better fit for you than your current job. There are plenty of companies and teams that value a culture of ownership, self-starting and working independently that are just waiting for what you’ve got to offer.