Content

• To step
• Part 1 of 2: Gaining your boss's trust
• Part 2 of 2: Talk to your boss

Micromanagers find it difficult to trust others to make decisions and let them perform tasks independently. This can stem from a sense of insecurity, pressure to perform, corporate culture, or a number of other different reasons. Working under a boss who controls everything you do can put you in a tricky situation if you feel like it is affecting your performance at work as well as your overall health. However, there are things you can do to ease tension, help your boss relax, and stop him or her from panting on your neck.

To step

Part 1 of 2: Gaining your boss's trust

1. Be a show-off. Show your boss that you deserve his or her trust and that he or she doesn't have to dictate every little thing you need to do. Micromanagers are often mainly concerned about the performance of their employees. So a good way to deal with a micromanager is to do more than is expected of you. If your boss is a micromanager, he or she may have a basic difficulty trusting people. So you have to work extra hard to earn that level of trust and respect.
   • Stay one step ahead of your boss. Have a positive answer ready every time your boss asks you about your progress and you may find your boss checks you less often.
   • At work, build a reputation for being an excellent employee. You may not have much to do with constant control from your boss if you have a reputation for being a skilled employee.
2. Follow the rules. Do not violate or twist the rules that apply in your workplace, or try to avoid them in even the simplest of matters. Micromanagers are very good at catching people in the act. You will only strengthen your boss's belief that employees cannot be trusted.
3. Find out as much as you can about your commanding boss. Find out what your boss expects from an employee and play the game. Avoid the things that disturb your boss and accommodate his or her preferences. Talk to other employees who have worked with your boss and discuss strategies that may work for coping with him or her.
   • If you find that a particular employee has a particularly positive relationship with your boss, try to figure out the way they communicate and work together and internalize whatever things you notice. Maybe the other employee is honest, avoids tension by using humor, is extremely friendly, or is doing something else that you can try with your boss.
4. Be trustworthy. Don't give your boss any reason to be suspicious of you. Arrive for work on time or even early, complete your tasks before the deadline or even a few days earlier, and do other useful chores, such as getting coffee, making phone calls, and helping colleagues achieve their goals. Be the person other people ask for help because they know you will get the job done. If you have a reputation for being very trustworthy, your boss will notice. It is then more likely that he or she will let you work more freely.
   • If you do all of your duties, your boss will see that you don't need his or her extra help at all.

Part 2 of 2: Talk to your boss

1. Ask if you can independently carry out small projects. Start small. Ask your boss if he or she would object if you were to carry out a small project on your own - perhaps something that will only take a week - to gain some management experience. Pick something low on your boss's priority list and get the job done in an excellent manner. If you prove that you are capable of doing something independently from start to finish, your boss will be more open to letting you tackle bigger challenges on your own.
   • After you have successfully completed the small project, thank your boss for his or her confidence in your abilities. Tell your boss that you have gained valuable experience and that you are now able to do your job even more effectively in the future. Show that it produces results when you are allowed to perform tasks independently.
2. Talk about the principles of a project in advance. If your boss has given you a new project - along with three pages of notes and lists on how to perform this task - make sure you sit down with him or her to get the big picture of the project. instead of talking about which font to use. Discuss what the objectives of the project could be and how you can achieve them. Also show that you understand the big picture well. If your boss sees that you really understand, he or she will be less concerned about whether you are sticking to all the points on the list.
   • If you make it a habit to do this before starting a project, your boss will be less likely to write down in great detail how the task should be done.
3. Listen carefully when your boss says something. Repeat it and provide feedback to show your boss that you are paying attention and understand what is being asked of you. Make eye contact, nod, and even take notes if needed. This way you show your boss that nothing has escaped your notice of what he or she has said. If you seem distracted or uncomfortable, your boss will have no reason to trust you.
4. Keep your boss regularly updated on your progress. Your boss is probably concerned that you won't be able to do everything the way he or she wants you to. So it's important to let your boss know how things are going. Have you just emailed your weekly report to your boss? Report this when you see him or her in the canteen. Have you just completed the project you were working on? Then tell your boss this before you put the report on his or her desk. Did you make that important phone call your boss told you to? Then tell him or her about it and describe the details.
   • This way you can show your boss that you are doing what is necessary. Plus, it can also make your boss feel a little annoyed and feel like he or she is working under a micromanager himself. This can cause your boss to loosen up a bit.
5. Show your empathy. Try to understand what motivates your boss. Is your boss just a show-off who wants to do his or her job to the best of his or her ability and is shy of handing over his or her responsibilities to others? Or is your boss power-hungry and wants to be involved in all tasks to keep everything under control? Whatever the reasons your boss keeps checking you out, try to show him or her that you understand his or her drivers.
   • If your boss is just concerned about whether he or she is doing the job properly, say something like "I understand how important this project is to you and the entire company. I will do my very best."
   • If your boss just wants to be in full control of everything, say something like, "You contributed so much to this project. None of us could have done the job without you." Compliment your boss on his or her hard work even if you've done most of it yourself. Your boss will then feel more in control of everything.
6. Talk to your boss if the situation threatens to get out of hand. Even though this shouldn't be the first thing you do because it could lead to a confrontation, talking to your boss might help express your needs for him or her if you feel like you don't have room to breathe. Micromanagers are often unaware that they are controlling everything. If you feel that the stress you experience from working under a micromanager is getting too much for you and putting your job at risk, then you are neither doing yourself nor your boss a favor if you don't take the initiative to change situation.
   • Emphasize the fact that you could do the job better if you were allowed to take more responsibility, instead of constantly being monitored and following your boss's orders down to the smallest detail. Ultimately, your boss wants the work to be done as well as possible. So emphasize the fact that you could do your job better if someone interfered with you less often.
   • Take extra care to approach the topic carefully and talk to your boss about the situation. Don't forget to be polite. Don't call your boss a micromanager.
   • Don't point your finger, instead ask if there is anything you can do to improve communication between the two of you.
   • Explain that you are concerned that you will not be able to make the most of your talents when there is so little room for personal responsibility.