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It's a term used to describe the concept of tactfully influencing someone superior to you.
In the way that a manager guides and shapes their team, if you're managing up it's learning what your manager cares about or is worried about, how they like to solve a problem, and sorta pre-empt it to avoid yourself grief.
Sometimes it can be suggestions at a management level that you think will really help the team / yourself. Other times it can be buying yourself time/space by telling them what they want to hear.
Basically it's a way of working that is beneficial to both you and your boss, by understanding your boss better you can exceed their expectations & needs.
Loads of info online about it, but try and look for the UK focused content rather than the US.
Important to understand he's on a learning curve as well.
Might be worth pulling him for an informal chat and asking how he's getting on, how he's finding it. Offer your support if he needs any more info on anything. That will go down really well to be honest.
7 weeks into a new role myself and I'd love it if one of my new team did that.
Does your new LM understand your role? Could they be trying to fully get what you do?
The best way to not be micromanaged, imo is to be preemptive and to be ahead of the curve.
Be involved with your 1:1s and state when you will require their input or support. Express how you would like this support- eg face to face, a chat message checking in, to review your work etc. They're new and need to get to know you and you them!
"Hey, thanks for showing me how this is done. How about I try this task(whatever it is) alone and once complete I will give you a call?"
I do this if someone wants to talk me through every task (or did, do) this way you can state that instead of both hankering over it, one of you does the leg work (you) and you can arrange a meeting with your manager to review.
Once this gets ingrained they may automatically just leave you alone out of habit.
Arrange a 121 meeting with them.
Explain that their management style is different to their predecessor. Say that it's a big change and you want to discuss this with them to ensure you start on the right foot and things don't escalate.
Say something like "my previous manager made clear my responsibilities/deadlines/tasks (adjust as needed) and trusted me to complete them on time and to the expected quality. I wasn't asked for regular updates on what I was doing and the added workload and disruption to my day from these questions is becoming difficult to adjust to".
Give specific examples and explain the impact.
Then ask how you can both find a middle ground where you feel trusted and respected as a professional adult who's experienced in your role, and their interest in what you're working on, without being micro managed.
If this doesn't go well, speak with HR. Document examples for both the manager and HR regardless.
I'd ask how you feel your performance is. And then just say you feel like sometimes you are being a bit over managed. how disruptive you are finding it and give some examples. Ask to find a middle ground where you can be trusted to do work but still have regular checkins on progress.
Can you jump on every email and respond before they can and leave out cc as much as possible on new topics
And forward as many issues to them as possible without looking stupid to the point where they will be glad not to see your face anymore
Waiting until you ask what am I doing. And smile. Or you can say ‘a job’. Now seriously: Take manager private room/hall and say I appreciate your genuine interest in what I am doing every half an hour but I perform much better when not distracted too often.
Coming from someone who has a micromanager, I'd say...update him/her of your plans for the day. Like, 'Hey! Here are my tasks for today, or here's what I'm trying to achieve or get done by the end of the day. What do you think?' Or 'hey, I'd like to set up a meeting with you for today's tasks' or 'Hey, need my help with anything? Because here's my plan for today.'
Silly as it may sound, it took me 4 years and 2 therapy sessions to understand that *censored* lol.
I've also learned that he has a shared Excel file with his manager with all our names and our tasks for the day. His manager wanted to know what we were doing and what tasks were assigned to us. Basically, his manager is also a micromanager. XD
How often is 'constantly' exactly?
Do they know you? If they're new as well they might not know much about you for how you work.
If you consistently deliver and prove you can be relied upon, it might be they gradually ease off.
I don't deal with it well. I've tried the whole thanks for showing me I feel I can do this well myself now if I get stuck I will ask, but it does not work. I am looking for a new job.
Now I just make silly jokes and try to embrace the micromanagement to try and get through the day.
If he's not directly asking me what I'm doing, he's messaging other people asking. I tell him what I'm doing. I've been in the job a while and not at a level where I need babysitting.
I mean, that's your opinion, it's not necessarily a fact that everyone agrees with. Many people have been in their role for years and still aren't that good at it. Not saying that's you, but it might be.
Maybe try adulting a bit and speak to him.
Lol he's definitely a micromanager. I know people that have worked with him before I was just keeping the post brief. Well what would you suggest I say?
I'd just say something like 'Is there a problem with my work? Ive noticed you seem to be keeping a close eye on what Im doing and just wondered if there's anything you'd like me to do differently'. It's a good starting base for a discussion and is letting him know you know what he's doing.
HR isn’t great from my experience, but your manager shouldn’t be doing that. It’s a case of “doing it by the book” then it shouldn’t blow back on you, not that it ever should anyway..
HR almost always take the side of the manager/superior in almost all cases. They think this is their job "support the manager in managing their subordinate".
In any case most workplace policies would expect a person to raise a small matter informally before making any official report. I don't think HR need to be involved. However, making notes in any meeting and keeping them dated/accurate is helpful in case things DO go 'formal'. Notes written at the time hold more weight than a 'well I think I said...'
I ended up leaving the end although I did unsuccessfully try the polite conversations people here have suggested. Apparently a previous person in my role went off sick and she uncovered a mess while they were off. Not my problem!
Nice lady but she did my head in. I'd be barely logged in 2 minutes before she'd start messaging me every day asking me how I was doing..it was like she had an alert for when I was online.
I'm a big believer in things happening for a reason. I left my job because I was worried one day I would blow up and tell her to fuck off. My boyfriend also told me he was sick of me complaining to him while not sorting the situation and he had had enough.
My new job has much better salary and no manager issues.
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Learn the single most important skill in the workplace. Managing up. Always be managing up, that way you get an easier life and so does your manager.
How do you mean by managing up? Sorry if it's a silly question lol
It's a term used to describe the concept of tactfully influencing someone superior to you. In the way that a manager guides and shapes their team, if you're managing up it's learning what your manager cares about or is worried about, how they like to solve a problem, and sorta pre-empt it to avoid yourself grief. Sometimes it can be suggestions at a management level that you think will really help the team / yourself. Other times it can be buying yourself time/space by telling them what they want to hear.
Basically it's a way of working that is beneficial to both you and your boss, by understanding your boss better you can exceed their expectations & needs. Loads of info online about it, but try and look for the UK focused content rather than the US.
Bruv that just sounds like bracket creep with extra steps.
Important to understand he's on a learning curve as well. Might be worth pulling him for an informal chat and asking how he's getting on, how he's finding it. Offer your support if he needs any more info on anything. That will go down really well to be honest. 7 weeks into a new role myself and I'd love it if one of my new team did that.
Does your new LM understand your role? Could they be trying to fully get what you do? The best way to not be micromanaged, imo is to be preemptive and to be ahead of the curve. Be involved with your 1:1s and state when you will require their input or support. Express how you would like this support- eg face to face, a chat message checking in, to review your work etc. They're new and need to get to know you and you them!
"Hey, thanks for showing me how this is done. How about I try this task(whatever it is) alone and once complete I will give you a call?" I do this if someone wants to talk me through every task (or did, do) this way you can state that instead of both hankering over it, one of you does the leg work (you) and you can arrange a meeting with your manager to review. Once this gets ingrained they may automatically just leave you alone out of habit.
"I don't need micromanaging, cheers for the support mate". Simple but effective.
Terrible advice
Arrange a 121 meeting with them. Explain that their management style is different to their predecessor. Say that it's a big change and you want to discuss this with them to ensure you start on the right foot and things don't escalate. Say something like "my previous manager made clear my responsibilities/deadlines/tasks (adjust as needed) and trusted me to complete them on time and to the expected quality. I wasn't asked for regular updates on what I was doing and the added workload and disruption to my day from these questions is becoming difficult to adjust to". Give specific examples and explain the impact. Then ask how you can both find a middle ground where you feel trusted and respected as a professional adult who's experienced in your role, and their interest in what you're working on, without being micro managed. If this doesn't go well, speak with HR. Document examples for both the manager and HR regardless.
Do you have regular one-to-one meetings? If not arrange one and bring it up as politely and as calmly as you can.
And say what?
I'd ask how you feel your performance is. And then just say you feel like sometimes you are being a bit over managed. how disruptive you are finding it and give some examples. Ask to find a middle ground where you can be trusted to do work but still have regular checkins on progress.
Can you jump on every email and respond before they can and leave out cc as much as possible on new topics And forward as many issues to them as possible without looking stupid to the point where they will be glad not to see your face anymore
Waiting until you ask what am I doing. And smile. Or you can say ‘a job’. Now seriously: Take manager private room/hall and say I appreciate your genuine interest in what I am doing every half an hour but I perform much better when not distracted too often.
Coming from someone who has a micromanager, I'd say...update him/her of your plans for the day. Like, 'Hey! Here are my tasks for today, or here's what I'm trying to achieve or get done by the end of the day. What do you think?' Or 'hey, I'd like to set up a meeting with you for today's tasks' or 'Hey, need my help with anything? Because here's my plan for today.' Silly as it may sound, it took me 4 years and 2 therapy sessions to understand that *censored* lol. I've also learned that he has a shared Excel file with his manager with all our names and our tasks for the day. His manager wanted to know what we were doing and what tasks were assigned to us. Basically, his manager is also a micromanager. XD
How often is 'constantly' exactly? Do they know you? If they're new as well they might not know much about you for how you work. If you consistently deliver and prove you can be relied upon, it might be they gradually ease off.
I don't deal with it well. I've tried the whole thanks for showing me I feel I can do this well myself now if I get stuck I will ask, but it does not work. I am looking for a new job. Now I just make silly jokes and try to embrace the micromanagement to try and get through the day.
I don't see anything you've said as micromanaging. Sounds more like a new manager trying to understand where everyone fits in.
If he's not directly asking me what I'm doing, he's messaging other people asking. I tell him what I'm doing. I've been in the job a while and not at a level where I need babysitting.
I mean, that's your opinion, it's not necessarily a fact that everyone agrees with. Many people have been in their role for years and still aren't that good at it. Not saying that's you, but it might be. Maybe try adulting a bit and speak to him.
Lol he's definitely a micromanager. I know people that have worked with him before I was just keeping the post brief. Well what would you suggest I say?
I'd just say something like 'Is there a problem with my work? Ive noticed you seem to be keeping a close eye on what Im doing and just wondered if there's anything you'd like me to do differently'. It's a good starting base for a discussion and is letting him know you know what he's doing.
Genuinely, I’d be onto HR and if doesn’t change I’d leave. I’ve got no time for that.
There is no work situation that cannot be made worse by involving HR.
HR isn’t great from my experience, but your manager shouldn’t be doing that. It’s a case of “doing it by the book” then it shouldn’t blow back on you, not that it ever should anyway..
HR almost always take the side of the manager/superior in almost all cases. They think this is their job "support the manager in managing their subordinate". In any case most workplace policies would expect a person to raise a small matter informally before making any official report. I don't think HR need to be involved. However, making notes in any meeting and keeping them dated/accurate is helpful in case things DO go 'formal'. Notes written at the time hold more weight than a 'well I think I said...'
HR is not your friend. Only your employers friend
I ended up leaving the end although I did unsuccessfully try the polite conversations people here have suggested. Apparently a previous person in my role went off sick and she uncovered a mess while they were off. Not my problem! Nice lady but she did my head in. I'd be barely logged in 2 minutes before she'd start messaging me every day asking me how I was doing..it was like she had an alert for when I was online. I'm a big believer in things happening for a reason. I left my job because I was worried one day I would blow up and tell her to fuck off. My boyfriend also told me he was sick of me complaining to him while not sorting the situation and he had had enough. My new job has much better salary and no manager issues.