As you progress in your journey as a tech exec, you will encounter a diverse range of individuals and interact with various personalities. Amongst them, the most vexing leader to work with is undoubtedly the micromanager. Learning how to manage a micromanager can make your life much easier.
This person needs to be in control and wants to know everything you are doing. This is painful because you really need to be on your toes. There is a lot of extra work with a leader who is a micromanager because they constantly want to know what you are working on and want to provide lots of input.
Managing the micromanager
If you’re new and unfamiliar to the micromanager, it takes time to establish comfort. Follow their instructions, stay patient, and they’ll value your ability to comply. Eventually, most micromanagers become more lenient, but trust takes time. The trick is to gain trust swiftly. Here’s what you can do:
- Regular updates – frequent status reports will help your manager feel good about your activities.
- Face to face meetings – the more your manager sees you, the more comfortable they are that you are focusing on work.
- Frank conversations – Although this might be uncomfortable, talk to your manager about giving you more space. Explain that you feel good about where you are with your work, and that you feel like you can be independent.
Micromanagers often display signs of insecurity and tend to have nervous personalities. Building a connection and understanding their interests can help foster a positive relationship. Take advantage of opportunities to discuss topics like family, activities, and sports to create common ground.
Building a connection based on shared experiences, such as attending the same university, can help foster a sense of comfort and trust. This, in turn, allows for more flexibility and understanding in your interactions. However, it’s important to remember that cultivating such connections requires patience and investment of time.
Patience is tough
Your manager may frustrate you, but patience and controlling your temper is key. Showing anger or impatience with a micromanager won’t help. Consistently updating your manager and demonstrating success will eventually lead to the freedom you desire. Stay guarded until your manager becomes comfortable with you.
In summary, remain composed, even in situations where your manager scrutinizes your work, seemingly due to a lack of trust. It’s not solely about trust, but rather a matter of control. Dealing with such personalities can be challenging, but rest assured, you will gain valuable insights from these experiences.
Click here for a post on how a tech exec matches personalities to relate to their counterpart.