My Way or the Highway

  ProjectsAtWork  

There are effective strategies for dealing with micromanagers, and none are about trying to change the culprit. Instead, you can defuse their overbearing, counterproductive behaviors. And if you're guilty of micromanaging, too, take heed before it compromises your ability to lead.

Is a micromanager the boss of you? Join the crowd. A recent workplace survey revealed that four out of five people — managers and workers alike — know firsthand the woes of being micromanaged. Micromanagers hurt productivity and morale — and often drive others away. In fact, one out of three people has changed jobs because of a micromanager.

The good news? You’re neither hopeless nor helpless. There’s a lot you can do to survive and succeed with a "my way" boss. But, first, you’ve got to understand the behavior — and exactly how it manages to disrupt people and performance.

Define the Behaviors

Micromanagers get a bad wrap — most often as "control freaks." Yet, to really understand and deal with a "micro" boss, it’s important to know the five specific behaviors that define micromanagers.

·         They exercise raw power.Micromanagers love to flex their muscles, asserting their power and authority just because they can. While unable to subordinate themselves, they control others with an uncompromising sense of entitlement and self-interest.

·         They dictate time…

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