Micromanagement is a leadership style characterized by a lack of delegation, extremely close supervision, and a focus on minor details and perfectionism. Leaders with this [management style](https://www.masterclass.com/articles/management-styles) exhibit control over all aspects of a project or process. The micromanager’s need for control outweighs employee independence and creative freedom, resulting in a stressful environment for employees. 

Micromanagement further negatively impacts the workplace by lowering employee motivation and performance, leading to [burnout](https://www.masterclass.com/articles/how-to-recover-from-burnout). Requiring daily check-in meetings with direct reports or constantly reviewing and analyzing team members' work reflects a level of distrust toward employees, reducing their overall productivity. 
Micromanagers often display repeated patterns of behavior. These habits are signs of micromanaging behavior: 

1. __Avoids delegation__: Good managers understand the importance of delegation and teamwork. Delegating work allows team members to demonstrate their initiative, strengths, and expertise on assignments. Micromanagers avoid delegating work because it reduces their control; they hesitate to assign new tasks and resist giving their team members opportunities to make decisions independently. When micromanagers entrust employees with a task, they often provide overly detailed instructions.
2. __Focuses on minutiae__: Micromanagers focus on unnecessary details rather than the big picture. Micromanagers request constant updates on deliverables or other trivial information they should not pay attention to at their pay grade. This kind of behavior wastes time and hinders team [productivity](https://www.masterclass.com/articles/how-to-use-herzbergs-two-factor-theory-to-boost-worker-productivity). 
3. __Monitors every step__: Micromanagers try to control each piece of a project or procedure and obsessively monitor their employees’ independent work. Examples of this level of constant monitoring include requesting to be cc’d on every email, watching a team member complete an assignment, explaining routine steps in minute detail, and taking control over other team members’ projects. These behaviors limit creative and collaborative outcomes and discourage and demotivate employees, preventing them from completing their best work. 
Learning how to adapt to a micromanager’s work style can take time, but these tips can help you foster a collaborative workplace:

1. __Build trust__: Many micromanagers demonstrate a lack of trust in their employees, causing them to take control of assignments and deny their staff the ability to deliver good work. If your boss has a hard time relinquishing control, work with them to establish timelines and build trust by meeting those deadlines. Continue to demonstrate your trustworthiness and value by providing examples of how your work performance and decision-making helped the company.
2. __Proactively provide status updates__: Micromanagers need to feel in control of all aspects of project management. To help assuage their anxiety, try proactively providing frequent updates to keep them in the loop. This helps meet your manager’s needs while curbing their micromanaging tendencies.
3. __Reach out to human resources__: If your work environment remains stressful, reach out to your company’s human resource department about the team and company culture. In extreme cases of micromanagement, they can help determine solutions for developing an effective management plan for your team. 
All you need is a [MasterClass Annual Membership](https://www.masterclass.com) and our exclusive video lessons from the likes of Elaine Welteroth (the former <a href='https://masterclass.com/articles/how-to-become-editor-in-chief' target='_blank' class='mc-text--link' data-mc-segment-trigger='true' data-mc-segment-event-type='Article Page Click' data-event-obj='{"textTag":"p","href":"https://masterclass.com/articles/how-to-become-editor-in-chief","linkCopy":"editor in chief","category":"automated-link"}' automatic='true'>editor in chief</a> of *Teen Vogue* and host of CBS’ *The Talk*), Issa Rae (the powerhouse multihyphenate behind HBO’s *Insecure*), Robin Arzón (the lawyer-turned-head instructor of Peloton), and other luminaries who have have embraced the twists and turns on the path to professional success. With their guidance, you’ll learn how to lean into your strengths, follow your heart, and build the career of your dreams. 
Working under a micromanaging boss is overwhelming and stressful. With the right strategies, you can learn to develop a working relationship with your boss and establish opportunities for creative and independent work under this leadership style.

Working under a micromanaging boss is overwhelming and stressful. With the right strategies, you can learn to develop a working relationship with your boss and establish opportunities for creative and independent work under this leadership style. 

How to Deal With a Micromanager: 3 Tips to Help You at Work

Micromanagement is a leadership style characterized by a lack of delegation, extremely close supervision, and a focus on minor details and perfectionism. Leaders with this <a href='https://www.masterclass.com/articles/management-styles' target='_blank' class='mc-text--link' data-mc-segment-trigger='true' data-mc-segment-event-type='Article Page Click' data-event-obj='{"textTag":"p","href":"https://www.masterclass.com/articles/management-styles","linkCopy":"management style","category":null}'>management style</a> exhibit control over all aspects of a project or process. The micromanager’s need for control outweighs employee independence and creative freedom, resulting in a stressful environment for employees. Micromanagement further negatively impacts the workplace by lowering employee motivation and performance, leading to <a href='https://www.masterclass.com/articles/how-to-recover-from-burnout' target='_blank' class='mc-text--link' data-mc-segment-trigger='true' data-mc-segment-event-type='Article Page Click' data-event-obj='{"textTag":"p","href":"https://www.masterclass.com/articles/how-to-recover-from-burnout","linkCopy":"burnout","category":null}'>burnout</a>. Requiring daily check-in meetings with direct reports or constantly reviewing and analyzing team members&#39; work reflects a level of distrust toward employees, reducing their overall productivity.

What Is Micromanagement?

Micromanagers often display repeated patterns of behavior. These habits are signs of micromanaging behavior: <ol class="mc-m-4"><li class="mc-my-4"> 1. Avoids delegation: Good managers understand the importance of delegation and teamwork. Delegating work allows team members to demonstrate their initiative, strengths, and expertise on assignments. Micromanagers avoid delegating work because it reduces their control; they hesitate to assign new tasks and resist giving their team members opportunities to make decisions independently. When micromanagers entrust employees with a task, they often provide overly detailed instructions. </li><li class="mc-my-4"> 2. Focuses on minutiae: Micromanagers focus on unnecessary details rather than the big picture. Micromanagers request constant updates on deliverables or other trivial information they should not pay attention to at their pay grade. This kind of behavior wastes time and hinders team <a href='https://www.masterclass.com/articles/how-to-use-herzbergs-two-factor-theory-to-boost-worker-productivity' target='_blank' class='mc-text--link' data-mc-segment-trigger='true' data-mc-segment-event-type='Article Page Click' data-event-obj='{"textTag":"p","href":"https://www.masterclass.com/articles/how-to-use-herzbergs-two-factor-theory-to-boost-worker-productivity","linkCopy":"productivity","category":null}'>productivity</a>. </li><li class="mc-my-4"> 3. Monitors every step: Micromanagers try to control each piece of a project or procedure and obsessively monitor their employees’ independent work. Examples of this level of constant monitoring include requesting to be cc’d on every email, watching a team member complete an assignment, explaining routine steps in minute detail, and taking control over other team members’ projects. These behaviors limit creative and collaborative outcomes and discourage and demotivate employees, preventing them from completing their best work. </li></ol>

3 Signs of a Micromanager

Learning how to adapt to a micromanager’s work style can take time, but these tips can help you foster a collaborative workplace:<ol class="mc-m-4"><li class="mc-my-4"> 1. Build trust: Many micromanagers demonstrate a lack of trust in their employees, causing them to take control of assignments and deny their staff the ability to deliver good work. If your boss has a hard time relinquishing control, work with them to establish timelines and build trust by meeting those deadlines. Continue to demonstrate your trustworthiness and value by providing examples of how your work performance and decision-making helped the company. </li><li class="mc-my-4"> 2. Proactively provide status updates: Micromanagers need to feel in control of all aspects of project management. To help assuage their anxiety, try proactively providing frequent updates to keep them in the loop. This helps meet your manager’s needs while curbing their micromanaging tendencies. </li><li class="mc-my-4"> 3. Reach out to human resources: If your work environment remains stressful, reach out to your company’s human resource department about the team and company culture. In extreme cases of micromanagement, they can help determine solutions for developing an effective management plan for your team. </li></ol>

3 Tips for How to Deal With a Micromanager

All you need is a <a href='https://www.masterclass.com' target='_blank' class='mc-text--link' data-mc-segment-trigger='true' data-mc-segment-event-type='Article Page Click' data-event-obj='{"textTag":"p","href":"https://www.masterclass.com","linkCopy":"MasterClass Annual Membership","category":null}'>MasterClass Annual Membership</a> and our exclusive video lessons from the likes of Elaine Welteroth (the former <a href='https://masterclass.com/articles/how-to-become-editor-in-chief' target='_blank' class='mc-text--link' data-mc-segment-trigger='true' data-mc-segment-event-type='Article Page Click' data-event-obj='{"textTag":"p","href":"https://masterclass.com/articles/how-to-become-editor-in-chief","linkCopy":"editor in chief","category":"automated-link"}' automatic='true'>editor in chief</a> of Teen Vogue and host of CBS’ The Talk), Issa Rae (the powerhouse multihyphenate behind HBO’s Insecure), Robin Arzón (the lawyer-turned-head instructor of Peloton), and other luminaries who have have embraced the twists and turns on the path to professional success. With their guidance, you’ll learn how to lean into your strengths, follow your heart, and build the career of your dreams.

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Working under a micromanaging boss is overwhelming and stressful. With the right strategies, you can learn to develop a working relationship with your boss and establish opportunities for creative and independent work under this leadership style.

Working under a micromanaging boss is overwhelming and stressful. With the right strategies, you can learn to develop a working relationship with your boss and establish opportunities for creative and independent work under this leadership style. 


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How to Deal With a Micromanager: 3 Tips to Help You at Work