Understanding the thinking of a Micromanager

Micromanagers love asserting their power and authority just because they can. They control others with an uncompromising sense of entitlement and self-interest.

They don’t trust people to assess their own workload, so they routinely dictate priorities and distort deadlines. They are notorious for interrupting others, misusing and mismanaging meetings, and perpetuating crises.

Micromanagers want everything done their way. After all, they think the boss knows best. They dismiss others’ knowledge, experience, and ideas then hover over them to make sure they’re doing things their way.
Micromanagers share responsibility, but not authority. They allow no one to move forward without their approval—even on routine or time-sensitive matters.

Micromanagers monitor others to death—requiring a stream of needless reports that focus on activity over outcomes.

Tips to Dealing with one

Every micromanager has an agenda. Find out what it is and work with him. The micromanager feels compelled to know what’s going on. Find out what he needs to feel confident and comfortable, and then get it to him.

The micromanager fears things remaining stationary or at the same pace more than other managers.

- Confusion runs high with the micromanager. Clarify your
conversations and agreements in a trail of memos and e-mails.
- The micromanager is notorious for piling it on.
- The micromanager loves to impose and even distort deadlines. Be the
first to talk—offering a timeline for when you can do a task (not
when you can’t).
- The micromanager enjoys catching people in the act. Avoid being an
easy target and play by the rules—particularly on policies regarding
time and technology.
- The micromanager backs off with some more than others. Watch them
closely to learn the secrets of their success.

The micromanager will go to war on every issue. If you’re going to stand up to him, pick the battles that are most important to you.
Managers of supervisors need to know their place. That means directing and coaching them (supervisors) without interfering with their operations directly. They shouldn’t be directing employees when the supervisor should be. They shouldn’t be doing the scheduling, vacation calendars, or over-ruling the decisions of their supervisors.

Micromanagers that fail to leave decision-making to supervisors undermine their own success. Supervisors will feel unappreciated, a feeling of distrust, and a lack of importance overall. This results in the opposite effect of empowerment and is destructive to the workplace.

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The first two years after my boss first arrived, he was very good for leaving decisions in the proper hands. Employees knew they had to deal with their supervisors. This eventually changed as employees who were refused days off by their immediate supervisor went over their head and got it approved. Next, the boss demanded the vacation calendar. Finally, he was meddling in other personal conflicts on the floor that should’ve been left to the floor supervisor. This problem grew to the point where people got what they wanted from their supervisor or they’d say, “Fine, I’ll just take it to Jim, he’ll okay it.” Eventually, Jim realized we were being played by some of the employees and stopped this bad practice.

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James 14 - What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him? 15Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. 16If one of you says to him, “Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it? 17In the same way, faith by itself, if not accompanied by action, is dead.

James 2:26 - - As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead.

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