Are you being micromanaged?

Is your boss constantly hounding you and just won’t go away? Is he more obsessed with the activity than the outcome? Is the situation causing stress for you, and is now wreaking havoc on your productivity, morale and self-esteem? Maybe you’re being micromanaged

According to Harry Chambers’ My Way or the Highway: The Micromanagement Survival Guide here are some signs that you are being micromanaged:

• They exercise raw power: They assert their authority just because they can.
• They dictate time: They don’t trust people to assess their own workload, so they routinely impose priorities.  And while they guard their own time with an iron fist, they constantly interrupt others.
• They control how work gets done: Things always need to be done their way.
• They require undue approvals: They allow no one to move forward without their approval — even on routine or time-sensitive matters.
• They demand frequent, unnecessary reports: They monitor others to death — requiring a stream of needless reports that focus on activity over outcomes.

The business world is full of micromanagers.  While it is a serious career issue the situation is not as hopeless as it looks.  Here’s how you can manage the situation according to The Monster Blog:

1. Critique yourself.  Take a hard look at how you work.  There may be gaps in your performance and your boss may have some unmet expectations.  Do this first.
2. Understand Your Boss.  Understand where he’s coming from – an authoritative background, low self-esteem, insecurity, etc.
3. Confront Your Boss. Directly expressing your concern over his management style may do the trick.  For all you know, it may only be a miscommunication.
4. Document Your Work.  Record your actions and achievements.  Nothing beats having a reference the next time you are called to account for your work.
5. Extreme Measures. When all else fails, find another job. While it may be attractive to jump the moment you figure out that you’rer being micromanaged, don’t just leave without taking care of business. You should have a place to transfer to before saying adios.  You need an exit plan.  Your priority is to make your transition as smooth as possible. More on this during the next posts.