Do you feel suffocated by a micromanager? It’s not just your boss – anyone in your life can be one! This surprising truth is followed by powerful strategies to not only survive, but thrive, in a micromanaging environment. Learn why it’s not about you (really!), and discover the key to building trust and gaining the freedom you deserve.
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My 3 Best Tips For Surviving A Micromanager
I am so glad you’re here. This is a subject that I would hope no one needs advice on, but I think more folks than ever need advice on this. I get asked this all the time when I’m in groups and working in corporate, and candidly, even just talking with people personally, because your micromanager may not be your boss. A micromanager could be a person in your life. These strategies will really help you not just survive in that environment, but thrive.
The first thing I’ve got to tell you is this. Micromanagers don’t actually doubt you. They’re not worried about you failing and you not doing the job well. They’re actually worried about them failing. If something goes wrong, what will go wrong for them? How will their life go left? The first piece of advice I have for you is don’t take it personally. It’s not actually about you. You’ll notice when you pay attention to a person who micromanages, you are not the only person they do it to. They do it to basically everyone.
Micromanagers don't actually doubt you. They're not worried about you failing or not doing the job well. They're worried about them failing. Share on XIt’s Not About You
The first thing, for your own peace of mind and your mindset, is to understand that their micromanaging is not about you. Now, the second one is how do we make this easier for us to deal with? The first thing you’re going to do is you’re going to ask that person how they like to be communicated with. Maybe it’s email, maybe it’s text, maybe it’s in person, phone. Maybe they like a combination of those. Really observe how often they check those mediums that they like to be communicated with. Because what you’re going to do is use that information to proactively communicate with them before they can micromanage and follow up with you, and start to build trust with them. If you over-communicate over and over again, you’re going to allow them to feel a sense of calm that they don’t feel with other people. They’re going to know that you have this, you have handled it, and it is A-okay.
Surviving A Micromanager: Micromanaging is not about you. You have to ask that person how they like to be communicated with.
Over-Communicate
Here’s the thing. As I told you before, a micromanager is not just doing it with you. They’re doing it with lots of people. They are super busy. They have so much on their plate because they have to check up on all these different people. If you take the action to go ahead and over-communicate that you have things handled, and you’re doing a good job, and you’ve earned their trust, they’re going to stop bugging you because they’re so busy bugging the other people.
Surviving A Micromanager: Over-communicate that you have things handled and you’re doing a good job. When you’ve earned their trust, they’re going to stop bugging you because they’re so busy bugging other people.
It’s really simple. You remember that it’s not about you. You find out how they like to be communicated with. Then you continue to communicate with them proactively and let them know that you have things handled for a few weeks to a few months, depending on the person. Then all of a sudden, you have the kind of autonomy that you only hoped for when you had this person in your life.
Surviving A Micromanager: You can’t change micromanagers as easily as you can change yourself.
Give this a try. I’ve used it in the military, I’ve used it in corporate, I’ve used it with clients, I’ve used it with people I know. It allows you to still have a good relationship with that micromanager until they get to the place where they want to know why they need to control so many things. You can’t change them as easily as you can change you. Give this a shot, and let me know how it works for you. You can always reach out to me on WinningMindsetMasteryPodcast.com. All the way down at the bottom of the page, there’s an Ask April section, and you can ask me a question or give me your feedback personally and privately, and I’ll answer you the same way too. Here’s to your success.
