Move Over Micromanager: 3 Tips to Getting Ahead of Your Leader

Does this ever feel true: Your responsibility at work is to do your job. Your manager's responsibility is to make it harder to do your job.

Maybe you have a macromanager. They are never around. When you need them to approve a decision, they are impossible to find. There is no feedback, no clarity, no direction.

Or there is the micromanager who is all up in your business. They need to know every detail that you are working on at all times. You can hardly make a move without their say-so.

Many people feel like they are being micromanaged because their managers are asking countless questions. But if they are asking questions because they don’t know the answer, that isn’t micromanaging, that is a sign that you need to be a proactive communicator.

Proactive communication gives the answers to the questions before the questions are even asked.

The simple formula is, more communication = more autonomy.

*Disclaimer: this formula is true with the right manager. This is not an excuse for bad leadership.

So how do you know which information needs to be shared before it is requested?

Three Areas To Practice Proactive Communication

Proactive communication can be broken into three categories: For Your Information, For a Discussion, and For a Decision. 

1. For Your Information

This kind of communication does not require any action on the part of the recipient but keeps them in the loop on something that they are already aware of. Good quality communication of this type covers all the details that that person cares about without asking them to get in the weeds with you.

It is more than simply BCC’ing someone on an email. Pulling a team member into the middle of an email chain to keep them in the loop can cause confusion. Take the time to pull out the relevant information so that your recipient can quickly understand what is happening.

Sending an FYI email shows that you have all the necessary information and you are comfortable with the decision that you are making.

To make it easier on both of you, a simple bulleted list including what you’ve accomplished, next steps, and a timeline to completion is the perfect FYI email. 

2. For a Discussion

Some information needs to be discussed before you can act. Before you meet with your boss on a project or decision, send them a “for discussion” communication to start the conversation.

When you proactively share data, metrics, timelines, options, and roadblocks before a discussion, you maximize your meeting and ensure that everyone is already prepared when you are ready to discuss, saving everyone time.

Sometimes taking the conversation out of email and into a collaborative space, like a Google Doc, can be helpful. This allows you to outline relevant information in a concise manner, leave comments and questions, and update the data in real-time.

3. For a Decision

When you ask someone for a decision, try to simplify it as much as possible. Create a clear outline of what you want to see happen, so that the decision is a ‘yes’ or a ‘no’ and does not involve more discussion.

It’s often wise to share your opinion on how the situation should be handled. This allows you to speak into the decision, shows you’ve put effort behind it, and communicates that you are simply seeking confirmation.

By simplifying the problem you save the headspace and the amount of time that a team member has to spend thinking about it.

As you move through your workday, categorize the information that you come across. If you know that your manager asked a question or showed interest in a specific topic, be sure to pass along new information that they may find helpful as you have updates.

Your proactive communication will build their trust which, in turn, will gain you the autonomy that you need to do your job effectively.

Each day you have the choice: will I lead the conversation or will the conversation lead me?

MT

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