How do you deal with a Micromanager?

Question

This person disrupts time, has to be in complete control over how things must be done. They require excessive unnecessary approvals of tasks. They consistently have to win or have the last say and never listen to anyone else. They drive you crazy. What if you can't quit your job, how do you deal?

Answer 1

Oh boy - I feel like I am reading something that came directly out of my mind. I am not preaching to you when I answer this, because I am struggling myself. However, what I have learned and am trying to do is:

Focus on the positives...
Do the best job I can...
Practice the "avada kadavra" curse from Harry Potter (this is the death curse)...

Other than that, I don't have much to offer. Really, I've learned that if I just focus on my job, and know that I can not change my boss - she is the was she is - my days are usually pretty good.

Answer 2

My boss at my last company was a micromanager. It got to the point where I hated opening my email and answering my phone. I lasted there for less than a year.

If you can't leave, you have no choice but to deal with it. If you can't talk to your boss and tell her that you are a competent person who needs little supervision, she wwill keep doing the same thing.

Answer 3

It depends on the personality of this boss of yours. You might be able to turn it back on them by assaulting them with question after question about how things should be done. If you can keep this up, you might wear the boss down and tire the boss out.

I have had "moderate to good" success with this.

If confronted, simply insist that you want to do a good job and be sure you are doing a good job. You do want to do a good job, right?

Answer 4

i told my supervisor that he had might as well being doing the task because he was spending so much time over my shoulder.