What to Do if Your New Boss Is a Micromanager

There are all sorts of managers out there, some brilliant, some less so. On the ‘less so’ side, your manager might be toxic, a narcissist, or actively be setting you up to fail. But could the worst of all of these be the dreaded micromanager? 

Relentless scrutiny, constant hovering, incessant meddling – anyone who’s ever worked for a micromanager knows the drill, and it’s not a good one. It’s a daily struggle of being second-guessed and sidelined, under a microscope, and on a tight leash. It’s oppressive and frustrating, and can make you feel trapped.Ultimately, it can make you feel like you want to quit, which can be particularly problematic if you just started a new job. But fear not, there are things you can do to improve the dynamic, so read on to discover what they are.

Why Do We Dislike Micromanagers So Much?

Even if you like your manager as a person, being micromanaged can feel deeply uncomfortable, and there’s a reason for this. According to research, micromanagement goes against our natural human instincts as adults to be autonomous and independent, especially as procurement professionals who bring both experience and qualifications to our roles. 

But being micromanaged when you start a new job (or alternatively, when you inherit a new boss) can be particularly frustrating. This is because, when you start in a role, you are trying to establish a successful dynamic with someone new, while at the same time trying to prove yourself, but unfortunately you can’t rely on your track record to back you up. 

It’s absolutely human nature to feel frustrated and a little hopeless, but you can put yourself in the driver’s seat and change the dynamic by doing the following things.

How to Manage Your Micromanaging Manager

To develop the best dynamic with your new boss try doing the following:

1. Try to understand your manager

Let’s face it, it’s hard to develop empathy for someone who is resolutely making your life harder – as most micromanagers tend to do. Whereas a good manager will provide empowering help, a micromanager provides what is, really, unhelpful help, as they ultimately undermine your ability to do your work, both now and in the future. 

Despite this, the best thing you can do is try and understand what might be behind your manager’s tendencies. Is your procurement manager being respectful and considerate? Perhaps they are actually genuinely trying to help you, but their methods simply don’t match your level of experience or expectations. Or perhaps they are a first-time manager, or feeling insecure? 

Whatever the root cause of their micromanagement, try to figure it out. If their tendencies are coming from a good place, you can work together to improve your dynamic.

2. Reflect on your own work and working style

One question you need to ask yourself if you find yourself being micromanaged by a new boss is “in my procurement team, is this just happening to me?”. Because if the answer to this question is ‘yes’, then you may need to do a little soul-searching. 

Could there be a reason why your manager is applying a little extra scrutiny to your work? What is the feedback you’re getting? How are you reacting and responding to your manager’s feedback? Are you being elusive or vague in any way? 

While this isn’t often the case, there could be something about your working style that is prompting your manager to be a little more overbearing than normal. Reflect more broadly on what your manager is saying and see if any chances to your procurement work (or working style) can help them ease up on the micromanaging.

3. Seek and provide feedback

No manager, micromanaging or otherwise, wants to be called a micromanager. But in order to fix your current dynamic, your next step is to talk to your boss about how to better work together. 

This takes courage, and certainly isn’t easy. You also need to be prepared to be an active and objective listener, and use open-ended questions to learn your manager’s priorities and preferences. And remember: the conversation needs to be two-way, because if you start from the position that you’re accusing your manager of something and they need to fix it, it will inevitably invite defensiveness. 

For example, instead of saying “Last week, you checked in on me every couple of hours – that simply isn’t necessary, don’t you trust me?”, try saying something like, ‘Thank you for caring and investing so much time in me! So we can both work most productively, however, could we agree on less regular meetings? I want you to know you can trust me and I always deliver.’

4. Build trust by anticipating your manager’s needs

Once you’ve got a better grip on your boss’s motivations and gotten feedback on your performance, focus on establishing credibility. The reason that you need to do this is because micromanagers are often afraid something important will fail, so what they need most is to know that you are consistent and reliable. 

To build trust, actively take notice of how your manager likes to communicate. Do they like email updates? Perhaps you could organise a daily stand up? Make sure you’re flexible and adaptable, and make sure you stay patient, even if your manager breaks from what is agreed initially. 

But more importantly, make sure that you always deliver on what is agreed upon, by the deadlines you agreed on. With a micromanager, overcommunication is always better – reassure them if needed by reminding them that you’re on track, even if they haven’t asked.

5. Develop coping mechanisms

 One of the most frustrating parts of being micromanaged – especially if you’re in a new role and have a lot to think about – is the fact that it won’t change overnight. Even if you notice improvements, it’s likely that your manager’s habits will still annoy you. 

And if this happens, you have to work on your own coping mechanisms. To do this, try to develop a positive personal relationship with your boss. Get to know them and try to enjoy their company. Doing this will help separate the personal from the professional, and even if they annoy you, you can remind yourself they are still human. 

In addition to this, the standard coping mechanisms apply: take deep breaths, coffee breaks, and walks to refresh your mind when things are getting a little frustrating. It can also help to have friends within your procurement team who you can vent to, if needed. 

As frustrating as micromanagers are, they are here to stay, so the best thing you can do is work to improve your relationships with them. 

Have you ever had a micromanager? How did you make the relationship work? Let us know in the comments below.