Does anyone else’s manager do this? Micromanaging driving me nuts

[Mog09]

In my job I get a lot of emails, most do not need actioning immediately so I usually just close my outlook tab and check it periodically throughout the day so I don’t get distracted by the emails popping up.

My manager has a habit of messaging me throughout the day saying ‘have you seen x email, I think you should do this’ or ‘on this email for x, can you do x y z’. Usually I haven’t seen the email yet as in most cases it’s literally been less than 10 mins since I received it!

Its starting to wind me up as firstly it feels like he has nothing else to do when my team is really busy, and I wonder why he’s being paid so much more than me to literally make actions off my emails. It also feels like micromanaging, I have a team of direct reports and he’s quite often giving instructions like ‘can you ask x person to look at this’, I was usually planning on doing that anyway, had I read the email as soon as I received it!

Anyone else’s manager do this? Other managers I’ve had are much less hands on and even if cc’d would just leave it to me. Is there a strategy to stop it? I literally feel like logging off and saying why don’t you just do my bloody job!

people handle emails in different ways.
Your way sounds efficient - i usually check mails first thing, just before lunch, just after lunch and then mid afternon.

If anyone wants something urgently? there is Teams and the phone. Studies show that not constantly checking emails (where your type of work allows it) can be way more efficient than constant checking and losing your train of thought

I’ve found communication is usually the best way to deal with a micromanager.

So first thing I’ll pop into them and outline what I’m going to be doing during the day, ask them if there’s anything else they need and then that usually is enough to keep them off my back. Micromanaging usually comes from them not feeling in control I find.

I was hugely micromanaged in my previous role and it got so bad I ended up walking out. It's because they do not trust you and it makes you feel like shit.

Oh god, I realise perhaps some of my team think I am a micromanager by this example. I am in the process of handing over a bunch of my work and often I am copied into things and ping the team member it is directed at because I know the answer (and I know she will need to look into it) and I want to be helpful but don't want to answer on her behalf so I look like I am undermining her.
I honestly thought I was being helpful, but I guess not 😬

I am in the process of handing over a bunch of my work and often I am copied into things and ping the team member it is directed at because I know the answer

just stop it. Let them grow into their job. You're the kind of PITA manager I'd leave a job for and make it clearly known during the exit interview. If you don't trust your team to do their jobs, either you move, or let them go and get in other puppets staff

Your manager probably thinks he's being helpful and efficient, chances are he doesn't realise and doesn't mean it to be micromanaging.

You could probably resolve this by talking to him about your preferred working style in a supervision.

Ugh, there's nothing worse than a micromanager. I had one years ago and spent a lot of time looking at advice and strategies... I found there is no effective way to deal with a micromanager except to get away from them.

Hard to say based on that. Micromanaging is hugely annoying, but I am also wondering if you are a bit too laid back and if your manager thinks things could be done with a little more urgency. Somebody said your way of managing emails sounds efficient, I thought it sounded like you weren’t keeping on top of things. I don’t know which is right, I think perhaps you need to have a conversation with your manager over ways of working and seeing if you can find some common ground.

I should say that my job isn’t to answer emails, it’s not a customer service type role. Our agreed department response times are generally within 1 day if a client email, internal task response times range from 1 day to 2 weeks depending on the request.

I try to stay hands off most of the tomes but in cases where staff are doing the job very badly and it willlcause reputational or other damage, I will coach them. The industry has standards that everyone needs to adhere to and if they aren’t I will give them the tools to raise their game. Annoying, but better than giving them the sack for poor performance. I didn’t make the rules. I also try to do it in a positive, friendly and calm way.

Mmm.. I think micro managing is a bit different from what you r describing. Looks like the manager is reading emails and actioning them straight away which involves sending them on to you, or emailing to ask you to do something. That sounds quite appropriate

To me, micromanaging would be him/her checking that you are doing what you are meant to, completing job plans and a timetable of your day etc... Checking up on you all the time.

What's your role? Are you his/her assistant in someway? Are the things he's emailing about, appropriate things that you are meant to be doing?

I email my supervisees all the time, even in the middle of the night because it's how I work and I try and action emails as soon as they come in, or in one evening stint, rather than let them pile up. But I wouldn't expect those I manage it supervise to look at their emails more than they want or need to and I wouldn't expect them to respond outside working hours - ever. Maybe your manager has similar expectations but you feel he/she wants a response straight away? Can you just broach it with him/her?

Well nobody’s job is to answer emails (unless they were literally employed to man a customer query email account), but I think most people working in an office receive emails and should try to keep on top of them.

I email my supervisees all the time, even in the middle of the night because it's how I work and I try and action emails as soon as they come in, or in one evening stint, rather than let them pile up. But I wouldn't expect those I manage it supervise to look at their emails more than they want or need to and I wouldn't expect them to respond outside working hours - ever. Maybe your manager has similar expectations but you feel he/she wants a response straight away? Can you just broach it with him/her?

I know you say you wouldn’t expect supervisees to respond to their emails out of work but it isn’t really appropriate in most jobs to be emailing those who report to you through the night. Despite your words saying you wouldn’t expect them to reply, your actions of feeling you can send them work at any time of the day or night could definitely make them feel they have to be constantly available to you. Unless obviously you make it clear when they are hired that they should turn their notifications off when they leave because you tend to send work emails at any hour.

I think micromanaging is annoying but clear communication is the only way to stop it. So rather than ‘yes I’ll look at that email now and action that’ maybe try replying along the lines of ‘I check my emails and action them at x time in my schedule, so it will be done at that time.’ The thing is that if the response to him trying to micromanage your work is you then doing the work it might reinforce this idea that if he didn’t micromanage it wouldn’t get done. Whereas if you refuse and do it as you had planned he may then see that you actually do have a time set aside to do it.

Working for a micromanager is soul destroying and I left an otherwise great job because of it.

It's usually a clear signal that they aren't effective in their own role. If staff genuinely require this level of supervision then there's likely either a training or recruitment issue (even on odd occasions maybe a disciplinary issue); all of which should be addressed by the manager in question in most cases. If staff are capable then there should be no need to micromanage, if managers are delegating work efficiently and to the correct person/people. Managers who micromanage are not demonstrating the ability to empower and support their teams so that they can direct their own focus onto higher level tasks.

I feel your pain, OP. The only advice I really have is that if you're at the point where you are considering walking out, you have little to lose by trying a frank conversation first.

I'd have a chat with them, asking them whether they trust you to get on with things, or if they are worried that you aren't tackling things quickly enough. I'd be straight on the phone next time I get one of their emails.

Because as it stands, they are just adding to your workload and making things take longer by duplicating what you are already doing and making you read another unnecessary email.

I’m not his assistant, I have my own set of clients and he is the senior to the clients in the department so quite often gets cc’d in emails addressed to me - he requested this by the way - in exactly the same role with different managers they have requested the opposite as they don’t need my messages clogging up their inbox! There haven’t been any concerns raised over my performance in the past either.

I used to have manager like this, she was horrible. Or when working from home, she wanted to jump on zoom calls all the fucking time about the smallest stuff that she could explained in email or about something that didn't even need explaining. Working with her was a nightmare. If your manager also tells you one thing and then changes her mind the next minute, it's very probable you're working for the same person as I did LOL. Seriously, some people should never get to being managers.

Sounds like someone with not enough to do.

Another method would be to set up a rule that all his emails are immediately deleted or sent to a folder entitled "Time Wasting Wanker" and see if he ever follows up on anything.

I’ve have micromanaged staff before, and it’s always the ones I don’t trust. You need to demonstrate to him that you are on top of things. Not in a snippy way, but you need to build his trust and confidence in you.
it can be difficult as a manager, your performance ultimately reflects on him, just because there haven’t been concerns about your performance in the past doesn’t mean he can come in and trust you 100%

My line manager does this. Classic micromanagement.

Alright, calm down. As I said in my post I thought I was being helpful and now realise not - I will both stop doing it and next time we chat explain to my team member why I was doing it and it certainly isn't because I don't trust her. I am not a PITA nor do I consider my team my puppets - how ridiculous 🙄

You seem however to have a bit of bee in your bonnet, and I would be inclined to feed that back to you in your exit interview. Jeez...

My manager has a habit of messaging me throughout the day saying ‘have you seen x email, I think you should do this’ or ‘on this email for x, can you do x y z’.
Can you turn it back on him? Treat his interference as him offering to to the task for you and accept with alacrity. It might make him take a step back!

You seem however to have a bit of bee in your bonnet, and I would be inclined to feed that back to you in your exit interview. Jeez...

I am currently leaving a job where one boss is trying to micromanage me and the other is too hands off. I have discussed this with both in the past and they both agree that their approach is wrong (the former because he doesn't know how to do my job the latter because he's a lazy arse)

This is now causing waves because having given my exit interview, it has come to light that i am the 4th person to leave this year because of their actions. I have suggested 360 appraisal, these are the only two who don't want it because they know they are shit.

But you do you.

As it happens my exit interview began with "what can we offer or do to make you stay?" so jeez right backatcha

But this may not be the case. often the micromanging (well usually) is about the manager not the member of staff. Sometimes can be an (unfounded) lack of trust, or a founded one but where the manager won't have a direct conversation so does it by the back door. But it can be just about the manager, could be an arse or could be people pleasing, thinking they are making your life easier or being helpful or giving you access to info they may think you don't have, You need to decide what the driver is as that will determine your course of action.

But am I your shitty micromanger? I would guess no. So why are you calling me names and making inferences at me when I am recognising that my (even if well intentioned) actions are not coming across in a positive way and seeking to change them?

Sounds like you leaving is best for everyone involved.

I will do me. Or not. It may be inconceivable to you, given you have taken a one paragraph post to conclude I am an evil micromanaging PITA self proclaimed puppet master manager, but I am a relatively new manager and always looking for ways to improve my management style because I genuinely care about having a happy and productive team, and about the individuals in it.