Micromanagement drives me nuts!

[BluePatriot]

We now each have a little spiral notebook that we are to record what our next day's activities on our desk are going to be. This is ostensibly in case we get sick, but, it feels so much like kindergarten.

What kinds of micromanagement drive you guys nuts on the job?

[LibertyLover]

1. In a law firm

you have to keep track of what you worked on and account for all your time. One firm I worked at it was in 10 minute intervals.

[Nicholas D Wolfwood]

5. That makes slightly more sense in a law firm.

Because of how they bill clients. But for the vast majority of other professions... not so much.

[Little Wing]

6. When you're charging $400 a minute, it becomes important

[BluePatriot]

8. I'm in an admin asst type role

where I make reports in Excel and fill in forms...so generally not a hot idea here. But as far as billable hours go I see where you are coming from.

[jpgray]

2. Isn't that a punchline to the joke about the man with a flowchart stapled to his groin?

[BluePatriot]

17. Ow.

Could be, hehe.

[MorningGlow]

3. What inspired me to quit my present job, actually

A magazine editor who rewrites EVERYbody's stories, top to bottom. I'm not talking about editing, tweaking, correcting errors, clarifying, or making things sound better--that's what an editor should do. But there's nothing so wrong with our stories that they require a total rewrite--they just happen to sound different from how the editor would write them because...oh, gee, I don't know...WE'RE NOT HIM.

As a result of this micromanagement...OCD behavior...control freakishness...the magazine is BORING AS SHIT because all the stories' "voices" are the same monotone. (Oh yeah--and the editor is a shitty writer to boot.)

I really don't appreciate the life being sucked out of all my stories.

[Nicholas D Wolfwood]

7. I go through that here.

The one thing that I find amusing is that the few times a document or even a paragraph of mine goes through untouched, we get feedback from other people in the field to the likes of "That was worded perfectly!" or "Brilliant idea!!"

Of course, it's less amusing when my boss fails to denote that it was, in fact, me who wrote it. x(

[MorningGlow]

22. Oh man I haaaaate that

When the editor here is too busy to mess with my stuff and runs it nearly "as is", I get all kinds of compliments!

[grace0418]

4. Well, I now have THREE direct bosses instead of one and they are all super

micromanagers. They never seem to focus on what you need them to focus on (i.e. getting all the details about upcoming projects, remembering due dates, giving us enough time to make changes, remembering what was said in presentations) but they will micromanage the living shit out of every minute detail of your design. They don't need talented designers to work for them, they need monkeys that know how to press buttons on the keyboard. It drives me fucking nuts.

[BluePatriot]

18. I guess it's a control thing

And the sad thing is that if they focused their attention on necessary details they would (in general) be a very effective part of the team...but just try telling them that, you will get either a blank stare, or, um, a chat with HR.

[fizzgig]

9. i have a guy who is my boss one day a week

and if he's my boss just one day a week, he should only be concerned with what i'm doing that day, right?

wrong. he pesters me about what i'm doing the rest of the week and tries to rearrange what i'm doing for the rest of the week.

gods i hate that man.

my life is feeling more and more like 'office space.' one of five people can be my boss on any given day, depending on the day, who is on vacation and other circumstances.

[BluePatriot]

11. haha.

yeah, I would like to get a red stapler. Actually the nit-picky ideas stem from one person here who is all into "chain of command" at a business with maybe 50 people and working on her online MBA...Um. Context please? I have tried to find positive things about her style but I don't know what she brings to a smaller business. Too corporate.

[fudge stripe cookays]

19. Senor, I asked for a mai tai, and you brought me a margarita.

And I said 'no salt.' No Salt!

[MorningGlow]

23. I have a red stapler! Earned it fair and square, too.

I had one of the AAs order it for me when I got moved to the friggin' basement! We ALLEGEDLY have one department but it's on two floors--actually the lower level is the ground floor, but I figure it counted. Especially since I was being treated like Milton, booted out of my office so some blonde Barbie clone "Girl Friday" for the VP could take it.

[JackBeck]

10. My former boss used to stand by the elevator with everyone's time sheets

marking the exact time we got off the elevator. We weren't even allowed to be five minutes late.

He wouldn't do this every day. Just randomly and on a whim.

[BluePatriot]

13. We had our GM

make an example of a girl who was chronically late, a 10+yr vet of the company who was always late. She has since quit. It needed to happen, but, it was done very badly...One day the offender showed up one minute past and that was the day the GM decided to pick the battle. I mean, come on. Common sense would dictate you do something like that on a day she was 15+mins late which would have been uh, any other day of the week...yeah right, common sense in a boss.

*edit for typos, I should micromanage better

[leftofthedial]

12. You really should be more clear in your subjects.

The thread subject, as stated, is ambiguous in that it leaves unclear whether you are driven nuts by being micromanaged or by being a micromanager.

I'd like to see you work on clarifying your communications. Clear, unambiguous communication is essential to the efficient functioning of any organization. Ours is no exception. You should be more careful in selecting and using words.

I'll stand here while you retype your OP.

Fifty times.

[BluePatriot]

14. Hahahaha. Nice.

:)

[fudge stripe cookays]

20. .

:rofl:

I see you've met my ex-editor!

[Deja Q]

15. There are two kinds of managers:

1. Micromanagers

2. People who claim they are managers but let the workers decide what to do to get things done and then get pissed when things aren't going the managers' way. Then add in how managers want you to do their work for them and voila!

I prefer #1. They show signs of being competent; they want people to keep showing them they know their stuff. #2 is like an anarchy.

[BluePatriot]

16. My last manager was pretty laissez-faire

That's why I'm chafing at the bit, I think, from such a drastic change in style. I interpret it as a lack of trust in my ability to do the job. There are some things that need oversight...but I do data entry (pretty much) and so it's getting stupid from my perspective. I also have a BA...yeah. However, there are problems that arise when no one knows what you are exactly doing (delegating too much work, not knowing how you contribute) that I don't entirely miss.

[itsmesgd]

21. I work for myself, and I drive me nuts

Imagine having to shower and sleep with your boss, ick

[Kerrytravelers]

24. Because we all work from home, we have to answer/respond to every email.

And I mean every email.

So, if someone asks "What form do I use" and it has already been answered, we all still have to respond to it is clear who all received the email.

As I'm new, I'm constantly typing "I don't know."