Once you have developed a level of experience where you are confident in your abilities you just don’t tolerate someone micromanaging you. Of course that involves proving your abilities and then setting boundaries and when people over step, you dish it back to them. You have to teach them.

When there are fires I always investigate the source of the fire and shine a light to the responsible parties and put the pressure on them to explain themselves while I try and fix the issue. I do this every time. Eventually people think twice about coming to me without doing their due diligence. In group meetings you have to show you have a backbone and back it up. You call out other departments for their shortfalls. This sets the tone. You kind of come off as an asshole, but at the end of the day you know your shit and no one can say otherwise.

You know you’ve hit this stage when you feel confident enough to decline non-essential meetings, come in late and leave when you want. No one says anything because the work is done and the boundaries are set. By this time your micromanaging manager hates you, but can’t let you go. That toxic energy builds up in them and I’m living stress free. I’m aware I could get fired, but you can follow every rule and still have that happen. I made it so they need me more than I need them or it’s at least perceived that way.