Micro managing managers

[lior]

Any tips for handling managers that oversee every tiny action you make?

Being constantly scrutinised is very stressful :(

[Lampard]

Be very very nice to them; they hate it!

[lior]

Haha

[Tessar]

Are they like it with everyone, lior?

[lior]

Yes I think so. She's employing people remotely. When I'm in her home office, she's constantly talking to other people on Skype messenger. When I'm not there, she'll interrupt Skype calls with me to send messages to other people too. She can't focus! And she wants to know what everyone is doing all the time, to the tinyest detail. I know it's her problem. It's just annoying when I'm the one that has to spend extra time explaining to her what I'm doing... I'd be so much more productive if I could just get on with the work.

[MyNameIsTerry]

Do you think she would understand if you explained that?

I've had managers likes this and they can be very stressful. Its like they are living on caffeine as opposed to oxygen!

Is there a practical workaround, like a quick update at the end of the day maybe?

[lior]

She actively said she likes to check in with people 'little and often'. I think it's because it's a start up funded by her family she wants to make sure the money is spent well on staff. I understand her concern and I'm a new member of staff. I need her to grow some trust in me. I'm hoping that in a few days I'll be able to talk to her about it if it continues to be this constant with the updating. Maybe by then I'll have earnt a bit more trust.

[Tessar]

I thnk u hit the nail on the head, lior "it's a start up funded by her family she wants to make sure the money is spent well on staff.".

Trouble is she will annoy people who might then start leaving, you'd think after an induction & enough training, she would satisfy her need for reassurance, because after all, that's what it is.

I've had bosses who check your emails, make you keep records of how long everything takes. Stiff like that.

You are right about trust as well. Maybe it will build in time. I sincerely hope so otherwise it will become extremely wearing. I guess meanwhile u hv to hang in there eh?

At least it's not something personal to you but sounds like they will need to reign their neck in!

[lior]

I managed to get her to leave me alone for 2h30 so I could get on with stuff. It really helped :)

She was complaining a lot about her other staff and I understand why now. I doubt that they have talked to her about how annoying micro managing is. If it continues I'll find a way of gently persuading her to not do that to people.

[Tessar]

Sounds like a good plan.

[MyNameIsTerry]

Perhaps one way would be to show her how much more productive you are when she does leave you alone.

I can understand with it being out of her pocket, some bosses are like that as opposed to large corporate where no one has anything invested and just move companies or get headhunted, etc.

The trouble is, she is in danger of pushing people out and micro management is a good first class ticket to anxiety for her. I can understand it because the first time I was a manager, I did a lot of this as well. You have to learn that one of the key elements of being a successful manager is to trust in your staff & to delegate - grow people to do your job so you can move on up (succession planning). If she is new to this, it could be that this lack of experience and the financial involvement is causing her to make these mistakes.

The best way to prove it, is show her. Show her better completed work and a happier person. Then hint at her why this happened and maybe she will just understand this is a better way and you avoid any awkward conversations about why its bothering you.

The fact she is complaining about other members of staff says to me its a likely case of an inexperienced manager because you very quickly learn that mistake as people talk to each other and they end up building the bigger picture on what their manager thinks. You very quickly learn that this has to be kept between managers to avoid bad feeling in your teams.

Some people don't like being told things like this, so be as tactful as you can.

[lior]

Thanks Terry that's very insightful. She's not going to face that team problem any time soon because since we all work remotely, I haven't met any of them, and I'm not due to meet any of them either. She hasn't even introduced me to them via email.

Succession planning is a great idea. I think another problem is that she's hiring me as a freelance consultant which means that she has no obligation to invest in me as an employee.

I really hope that I get another job that I've applied for. I had an interview last week and another one is happening on Monday so with any luck I won't have to be in this situation for much longer. It would be useful practice for me to know how to deal with her though...

So as you said, I will show her how I've been more productive with better completed work and that I'm happier when I'm left alone for a while, and explain that I was able to organise my work in a way that works best for how I work.

:)