Dealing with a Micro-Managing Customer

I was recently asked how to deal with a micro-managing customer, especially when the sponsor isn’t standing up to them. Here are a few tips for handling this challenge whether you’re a project manager or team member.

• Trigger a debate. A stakeholder might micro-manage the project team when they feel that’s the only way to get what they need. They press their needs upon the project team without consideration for other areas of the business. In that situation, call a meeting with key stakeholders to debate the prioritization of project requirements. If other stakeholders choose not to defend their needs, the project can proceed with the micromanager’s priorities. Note: The project manager’s responsibility is to point out when a prioritization imbalance might exist. It is not to decide prioritization on behalf of the business. So, even if stakeholders are being passive, follow the outcome of any prioritization meeting where the key stakeholders are present.
• Understand the micro-manager’s fears. Micro-management has a root cause. In addition to a perceived need for prioritized requirements, that cause could be past project failures or bad experiences with delegation. Micro-management might also be considered a way to circumvent organizational politics regarding the project.  Identifying the fear that created the micro-management helps you negotiate processes for a more productive relationship. Be understanding and flexible, and you might be able to reduce the level of micro-management.
• Follow the money. In many organizations, the stakeholder who provides funding is the “final arbiter” for project scope and requirements. If the funding provider is neither the passive or micro-managing stakeholder, brief the funding stakeholder about the micromanager’s behavior. Understand the funding stakeholder’s priorities. If they don’t align with your micro-managing stakeholder’s priorities, tell the micromanager that you’re following the funding provider’s direction. If they protest, tell them to talk to the funding stakeholder and alert the sponsor as well.
• Point out any conflicting directions and stop the project. As a project manager, if you receive inconsistent or conflicting direction, even after trying to trigger proper debates, you have only one viable recourse. Stop the project. This might seem risky. But moving forward while stakeholder conflicts are outstanding is irresponsible and conflicts with the ethical standards promoted by the Project Management Institute and other industry bodies. Stopping the project is proactive and less expensive than going forward with unresolved issues. So, stop working, document the conflicting directions you have received, and share them with the stakeholders in conflict. Only move the project forward after a debate is complete and the direction for the project is aligned.
• If you are a team member… Focus on the information the micro-manager shares when they give you direction. That way, you can get insight to their motivations. Ask them questions about what they are trying to accomplish and what they are concerned about. Look for trends or patterns in the direction they give you. With this background, you might be able to anticipate future requests and proactively predict the bigger picture of what they are trying to achieve. That can help you establish trust and reduce their micro-management.
• Running an agile project? Embrace the involvement! Agile works best when you customers are heavily involved. If a customer micro-manages, follow the agile spirit to address it. Call a meeting, talk as a team about what is and is not working with your customer, and strive to improve. Consistent and successful feature delivery will probably calm your micro-managing customer.

Have any experience with a micromanager? Share with us in the comments section. 

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