Micromanager: Working in a Dilbert world

The next time your boss makes a bad suggestion or direction ask for a memo to that effect and impliment their instructions with gusto. Make sure to retain the memo, and cover your ass when the fallout comes.

We have a manager that worked us like that. Our pc:s were hired with a complete solution and the supplier had specified that we need to have one each for our profiles to update properly. Our dilbert signed himself to all pc:s and only ordered guest accounts for the rest of us. A month later, when he realized that he had to log in locally on every single pc at least once a week, he complained to me about it. What did i tell him?
I said: If you really want to do our job , go ahead. If you feel comfortable with the thought of someone else doing the job, then please let us have our own machines.
We have not our own pc:s yet and hes is suffering as i write but i think its only a matter of time before he gives up.:-)
/Tom

I worked for a manager that must be the model for the pointy haired boss.

I furtunately had at least 1 layer of management between myself and him.

He still tried to Micro-manage me.

What I did, was back micro-manage him by reporting all of his actions to my supervisor. I also worked instead of against the other workers that he was trying to have me help him setup.

Basically, make yourself a hard target for his management. The average micro-manager tends to follow the path of leastresistance.

Chas

I must work for THE micromanager of all times! We don't turn in a report stating what we spent our time on during the week, that's ok! He'll write it and turn it in! After all...he knows everything! He decided we needed to move the furniture andequipment around for a 'fresh' look in the Data Center. Didn't discuss it with anyone, we came to work one day and he was in the process of moving everything himself! When it came time to move the PCs that we use for our mainframe systems work (IPLs, IOCDS, etc...)he wanted to do it all by himself. That would be fine if he would have just shutdown the PCs just like you would any other PC. But no! He clicked on the icon located under 'Power Controls'...he chose to click the 'OFF'icon. Yes! He powered off our mainframe online systems!! He then tried to tell us that the system problems didn't have anything to do with what he was doing! An hour and 36 minutes later, the systems were restored by the very people he didn't want doing thejob! His Data Center staff! It's all about ego. What a waste!

I documented. After I started a new job 4 years ago I encountered a micromanaging boss. Someone who knew the technical jargon, but did not have a full grasp of it.

I am sorry to say that this guy was a dangerous micromanager, spouting specific instructions for every step but not knowing what he was saying.

At first I compensated for him by politely interpreting what he really wanted to achieve...which he would reply with "that is what I asked..." and was critical of me for doing this.
He would hover over me and watch everything I did.

Finally I just got tired of it. I started to have him put his requests in email form. He would give me specific instruction and I would carry them out. This obviously led to failure since he really did not understand the programming and capability of the system. When the VP above him came to me to chew me out for a failure I spoke with him frankly.

First I stressed the importance of resolving the immediate problem (caused by my micromanaging boss). Then I sat down and reviewed all the emailed instructions and explained to this VP what would have happened had these instructions actually been followed. I then, email by email, explained what I actually did to implement what wasreally being requested. Then I explained to the VP that I was very happy with the type of work I was doing, would like to continue to excel in what I was (obviously now) very experienced at doing but that I could no longer tolerate micromanagement.

Then the little secret; I explained to the VP that every engineer has his own style of creativity and that micromanaging an engineer can stifle that, reducing the engineer's value to the company. I said 'If I can be told the objective I can get us to it much faster and without friction, thereby adding value to the company. Besides my boss probably has too many things on his plate to be worrying (AKA, micromanaging) me."

Such a hot topic and too many examples are right on. But step into the shoes of a manager today and see how the micro management behaviors develop.

I have spent many hours meeting with my supervisors developing business plan goals, trusting they& their team will implement these goals and keep me informed of progress periodically. Not infrequently they don't control scope, waste time and run up expenses because the don't connect with management. Being burned a few times is all a manager (or any normal person) needs to become paranoid about empowering their people.

Team building and trust take a lot of hard work, mostly at learning how to communicate. Micro managers aren't good communicators and won't trust anyone who doesn't keep them aprised every step of the way.

What seems to work for me is focusing on defining the outcome - "what done looks like" and the setting of deadlines - interim and final for delivery of "done". Although these discussions can be lengthly they allow me the opportunity to communicate my expectations in as black and white a manner as possible thereby allowing both the subordinate and their team to know what is expected and when. If the plan calls for a progress report every two weeks andI don't get that report or something in it causes concern I get back into my micro management mode and they know to expect this.

I know this is not the solution for many of you but this seems to work for us.

1) Someone who assumes that all subordinates do not know how to do the job and require his assistance.

2) Someone who assumes that his great knowledge can prevent mistakes from happening, so he needs his fingers in everything to stop the mistakesbefore they occur.

3) Incompetent who wants to be involved with everything so when he talks with management he does not look foolish.

4) Incompetent who assumes that because he is the manager, he has full knowledge of everything that will every occur in his organization and must be involved in everything.

5) Incompetent who knows he is incompetent but tries to cover up by micromanaging.

6) Someone who is micromanaged himself and assumes that is the only way it is done.

7) Someonewho does not trust his employees.

8) Someone who does not have better things to do with his time (probably because he doesn't understand what is needed).

9) Someone who assumes that all people behave and think a like (usually based on himself).

10) Someone who does not know how to communicate well.

11) Someone trying to justify his existence.

The first step to dealing with the micro-manager is to understand that he/she probably can't help it. They are not doing it to irritage you, it is simply how they are. That being said we can now discuss strategies for dealing with this problem, and it is truely a problem. In my experience it is best to first have a frank discussion with you manager letting them know how their actions make you feel, and how you need some breathing room and the opportunity to accomplish tasks with little interference as a part of your own self-worth. It this does not relieve the situation than you may have to take more "offical" measures. What has worked effectively for me in the past is to document the micro-management and it's effects in appropriage places. For example if your workplace uses a project management methodology than their is usually a way to document what went well, or poorly withing the project. The key thing to remember when taking this approach is to remain professional and detail howthe micro-managment behavior has had a negative impact on the results.

Every time you have a meeting with your micro boss, come up with an overwhelming list of questions for them to answer, covering every aspect of the project/work for the next week. Go really in depth/cover everything. Enjoy the process of pepperingthem with questions. Control this "question" meeting by hitting them with another question as soon as they pause. Don't listen to the answers, you don't care anyway, just get ready to pounce with the next question. OR you could take them out backand slap the snot out of them. LOL

When its a manager its not to bad for micro managing - when you hit the higher levels and they still micro manage. Then the world comes to a halt.

I worked for one that had to check and authorize every memo that went out of the IT department, had to review all status reports, and to check all research reports, approve all presentations. And the list went on.

One day he was bitching to me about haveing to rewrite status reports - told him - that was his choice - either accept what othershave written - or rewrite them, it was his call. Then he starting bitching about reports saying that no one knew how to write one. Again - told him that was his style - no one else writes in his style - and to either accept other peoples style as long as they get the message across - or rewrite it..

Needless to say - he never changed - and had a hard-on for me.. because I didn't feel sorry for him. Also nothing was getting accomplished in the department - when the executives found out why everything was always late - his contract was not renewed...

I look at it this way - if they want to do my job - go for it. I still get paid sitting surfing the web - or doing my job.