Does your boss micromanage? 🔎

It can be infuriating to have a boss that lays out every little detail of a project, as if you don't have the first clue how to even sharpen your pencil.

But not only has your boss laid out all the how-to's and deliverables, he also feels the need to check in every two and a half minutes to make sure you are on track.

Does this sound familiar to you?

It's probably enough to make you show him that you can, in fact, walk without dragging your knuckles on the ground.

But before you go out of your way to show your boss that you're not an idiot, you need to assess which type of micromanager he is. (Because him thinking you're an idiot might not be the problem at all.)

Did you know that there are three types of micromanagers?

And every type of micromanager comes with a different strategy.

So let's dive in:

Three Types of Micromanagers

Type One: The Control Freak

This is the type of boss we all think we have when we have a micromanager. This boss thinks they can do your job better than you can. They don't want a single mistake made, and they value perfection in execution over the team's learning and growth.

This command-and-control type leadership starts with the belief that people can't be trusted to do good work, will behave irresponsibly if given a chance, and generally need an iron fist.

You come away with an idea that they have a lack of trust in YOU. They believe you are up to the job, but the truth is, almost no one can reach their standards.

Type Two: The Skittish Leader

The Skittish leader was promoted into a leadership position because they were a great individual contributor. This doesn't make them great – or even good – at leading people, though.

Deep down, this leader believes they don't know what they're doing as a leader – literally. They don't really know what they should be doing day-to-day or how they should be taking the reigns.

So instead, they go back to what they know best. That's the individual contributor work that is your job.

What it looks like to you is them doing bits and pieces of your work: "Oh, I approved that," "Yes, I made that call," and it feels like it's because they don't trust you to do it, or think you know how to do it, or because you're not working fast enough.

But in truth, they are shaking in their boots, not knowing what else to do with themselves and struggling with how to make themselves useful.

Type Three: The Power Leader

This leader is power-hungry. They've gotten themselves to a position of power, and now, their team is working like a well-oiled machine. Everything should be great! Right?

Wrong.

This leader is too ambitious to be satisfied here. Instead, this boss tries to look useful because he's afraid of losing power if his team is doing too well. They don't want to be seen as unnecessary.

So instead of going with the flow, they start making sure they're "useful." After all, who is more important than the boss who "fixes" things on a team that produces?

How to handle your micromanaging boss

The next question, once you've identified your boss' type, is to figure out how to handle the situation.

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