If you were to ask 100 different employees to describe their boss using just one word, most of them would answer "evil-spawn-of-Satan" (apparently using dashes makes this a "one word" answer). Those who don't use dashes would probably answer with the word "micromanager."
Look up "micromanager" in any dictionary and you'll find that it means "short manager" or "leader of tiny stature." However, others use this word to describe a boss who not only tells you what to do, but tells you how to do it, when to do it, and why you're doing it wrong.
To many employees, the micromanager is the worst type of boss. People can deal with the boss who takes credit for the team's success, the boss who is never there when you need him, and even the boss who shows up after you and leaves before you. But for most people, there is nothing worse than a micromanager.
Does this situation sound familiar? Your boss gives you an assignment. He wants you to produce the XYZ report for the Big Boss by the end of the day. He gives you instructions on how to get started. As you're starting the first step, your boss (who is still hovering over your shoulder) points out that it might be better to actually skip ahead to the next step because it's easier, even though you know that without doing step one, step two will be three times as hard and take much longer. You finally convince your boss to go bug someone else, only to find him back in your cube half an hour later for a "status update" - as if you'd finish the task and forget to tell him. He then proceeds to look over everything you've done so far and recommends changes to most of what you've done. Worst of all, you've done everything right so far and his recommendations will do more harm than good. When you try to explain this to him, he tells you that he's done this "a million times" and his method is the best way. And when you finally finish the report and it's delivered to the Big Boss, guess who gets the credit? (Hint: It's not you.)
It's a no-win situation. If you listen to your boss, you'll be rewarded with a more difficult and time consuming process, with the added bonus of spending most of your day with him. But you can't just tell your boss to back the hell off and let you do your job. Nor can you say "If you know the best way to do this, why did you bother coming to me?" Well, you could say those things, but you better make sure your resume is up to date.
So what's the best way to deal with a micromanager? There's no easy way to do it, at least not that I know of. Outside of switching jobs or winning the lottery, there probably isn't much you can do. You could try to prove a point to your boss by micromanaging him - stand behind him while he updates his voice mail and tell him to use his "boss voice" because it sounds more authoritative. It has to be something ridiculous and annoying like that because you're trying to prove a point, although there's a good chance that your boss will completely miss the point.
Have you worked for a micromanager, or do you work for one now? How do you handle it? Share your stories and your suggestions on how to deal with them.
3 comments:
Hallelujah, this is my life!!!!!!!!! I work at a small firm and my boss is actually the President of the company. He feels that his way is the only way to do things even though I have provided strong growth year over year by essentially letting him rant, tell me how he thinks I should do projects and then ignoring him and just proceeding as I normally would. Of course he loves to say that he is not a micromanager.
Micromanage is the invention of a control freak. The ball and chain shackled to a team of great employees whose morale is being described in the daily saga of Dilbert. It has been said, you cannot have responsibility
without authority; however it is the authority with no responsibility that falls a company. Thus the rise and fall of the company stock....$50, $55, $60...and then free falling....$9, $8 and $7.
Some bosses are posers with the gift of gab. They know
not what they do, and yet they assert procedures to you. Micromanaging is quicksand. It is deceptive and commonly fatal.
I have a micromanager. . . my manager looks at my work & then tells me how to do my job. Never mind I have already done exactly what she is requesting I now do. Then as if that's not enough, she "suggests" some more things to do to complicate the job even more. Once this is done, it is torn apart again and I am told this is not the way we do things.
There is absolutely no rhyme or reason to the thought process of these bosses.
They come up with reports upon reports, then tell you how to do them, when in the end they could have done it themselves and they aren't even needed anyway.
But, hey, that's why they make the "BIG BUCKS"
My favorite thing is when they're reviewing your work and they request you make some changes & bring it back for another review. Upon the second review, there are more changes because they didn't "completely review it the first time"...what is wrong with this picture???? Then, on the third review, they actually cross out what they told you to do the first time.
But I think the worst thing is when they look at your work and actually DO some of the work (which you have probably already done)and then give you next steps to complete ASAP. Why not just complete the job for us too. . .
How do I deal. . . most of the time I grumble & do as I am told. Occassionally, I actually call her & say "what are you thinking? Because I really don't understand what you want me to do" I've actually won my case. . . ONCE.
Life in the corporate world - ain't it great!
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