I would be rich if I got a dollar every time an employee told me, during my career, that their manager was micromanaging them. When I ask them for details, almost without fail, they will say that their manager has counseled them about meeting deadlines; now requires a doctor’s note for sick time taken; is asking more often for project status updates, etc. Please do not misunderstand me. I know that micromanagers and “managers-from-hell” exist; however, I also believe that in many cases the employee has the power to turn the tables. It is actually easier than you may think. You just have to manage your manager. You may ask, “How can I manage my manager?” Well, the purpose of today’s post is to help you do just that.
First of all, I recommend that you stop looking at your manager as the person who has the power to take away your livelihood. How about looking at your relationship with your manager from an entrepreneurial perspective. Through this lens you are the supplier of a service and your manager is the consumer of your service. So, consider what suppliers do to develop and maintain quality relationships with their consumers. They develop a strategy to build a relationship with their consumers by earning their trust; and keeping them as consumers by continuing to provide what they need in a consumer-friendly manner. They stay a step ahead of their consumers by anticipating what they will need in the future…not just what they need at this very moment. Suppliers also have plan B waiting in the wings in case plan A doesn’t prove successful. With that in mind, let’s see how you can effectively apply this strategy to your work relationship with your manager.
- Learn your manager. Is your manager a morning person? If they are, you should do your best take issues of concern to them early in the workday. Also, try to schedule your meetings with them earlier in the day. Why? Because you will be playing to their strengths since they likely do their best work in the mornings when their creative juices flow best; their critical thinking skills are strongest; and, they solve problems most effectively early in the day. If your manager is an afternoon person, you will need to reverse your strategy.
- Follow your manager’s lead when tracking work progress. My current director likes tables, charts, and bullet points. So although I may not have always preferred to present information in one of those formats, I have found that our meetings are much more productive and she follows my presentation of the information better. So guess what? Shorter meetings are a mark of success in my book.
- Keep the lines of communication open. Most managers do not like to be blind-sided and it is his/her team members’ job to ensure that he/she is not caught off guard. You usually don’t need to give them the fully-detailed version of an issue, but at least let them know that there is an issue that they need to keep their antenna raised for. Do this a couple of times and he/she will know that you have their back. So you will earn your manager’s trust and you will develop a stronger work relationship.
- Don’t be a “Yes” person. Believe it or not, your manager wants team members who can help them see things from a different perspective when necessary. This quality can be particularly useful when assessing risk. One key to realizing success in expressing a difference of opinion is to balance it with being on the same page with your manager. Another key is knowing when to let it go. If you are unable to get your manager’s agreement after a couple of tries, cut your losses, give yourself an A+ for effort, and move on. remember, they are the manager and you are not. That means that they will be held to a higher level of accountability than you will be. Besides, as a manager, they may be aware of some extenuating circumstances that you are not privy to.
- Finally, and possibly most important…make early preparation your standard. It is nice to surprise your manager from time to time with an assignment that you complete early. This allows time for making adjustments where needed, if necessary. Also, with the competing priorities that most of us are met with, in their workplaces, early preparation will enable you to move on to the next issue with a great deal less stress.
So the moral of the story is, know your manager and learn their workplace pet peeves…then, avoid being the one on the team to do them. Some close attention to detail, flexibility, and thoughtful planning will create a healthy bond between you and your manager. It will also make going to work much more fulfilling and enjoyable for both of you.
Workplace success to you. Go get it!
