Angry boss - Micromanager?

[Zstream]

Has anyone worked for a micromanager boss before? I'm having the highest level of difficulty dealing with the situation and it's causing severe stress in my life. I'm a permanent work from home, causing me to bring work situations into my everyday life and the life of my family. I'm talking about increased agitation, yelling, decreased motivation to exercise etc.

So, what's the best way to deal with a micromanager boss? P.S - I'm looking for a new job, hoping for a way out.

 

[manimal]

over report to a micro manager. Give them so much reporting they manage you less. works everytime

 

[Dr. Zaus]

Inform him that you do not respond to that kind of behavior and hang up on him. Immediately write a report to his supervisor explaining the abusive work environment. Document the cost to your and your family's psychological well being. CC him so he knows that you are reporting him and precisely what his actions are causing. He will have no plausible deniability this way.

You want a paper trail for when you sue so they give you enough money to go away. You also want paper trail if you are dismissed so that you can show that you suffered a 'substantive change' in your work environment (abuse can be just that) thus meaning you were fired no matter how they try to swing it (i.e. signing some document saying you quit, lest they withhold a check or some such; some try to reduce your wage or otherwise change your employment and say you weren't fired).

 

[HybridSquirrel]

over report to a micro manager. Give them so much reporting they manage you less. works everytime

I used to have an insane manager that would micromanage everything from bathroom time to the way our e-mails were sorted to how much stuff we should have on our desks. This is the only viable solution.

He also constantly complained about lack of communication, so I sent him an e-mail every 5 minutes on what I was doing, even if I was doing nothing. It wore him down and he eventually got fired for under performing or something.

 

[Zstream]

I used to have an insane manager that would micromanage everything from bathroom time to the way our e-mails were sorted to how much stuff we should have on our desks. This is the only viable solution.

He also constantly complained about lack of communication, so I sent him an e-mail every 5 minutes on what I was doing, even if I was doing nothing. It wore him down and he eventually got fired for under performing or something.

Well, I forgot to state that he is the president of the company.

 

[Thebobo]

Well, I forgot to state that he is the president of the company.

lol minor detail. Quit

 

[Skel]

Well, I forgot to state that he is the president of the company.

Find a new job. He'll never change and you can't do anything about it if he runs the place.

 

[LevelSea]

five across his lip?

 

[Markbnj]

Are you his only remote report?

 

[z1ggy]

Aggressively hunt for a new job. If he's president... Who are you going to report him to? He won't be changing any time soon.

 

[Newell Steamer]

over report to a micro manager. Give them so much reporting they manage you less. works everytime

This.

Give him what he is asking for, and then some (options, alternatives, etc.).

You may not agree with what he is asking for, but, just do it (and then some, to manimal's point) and offer your take on it as well.

 

[litttlechica]

over report to a micro manager. Give them so much reporting they manage you less. works everytime

This is the answer. You have to anticipate what they will ask for and have it ready as soon as they ask and also keep them up to speed constantly on the progress of your current tasks.
I've been working for a mircomanager for ~1.5yr now.

 

[HeavyD]

over report to a micro manager. Give them so much reporting they manage you less. works everytime

Well, I forgot to state that he is the president of the company.

lol minor detail. Quit

All of the above

 

[purbeast0]

yes i have, and that is a major reason i left that job.

 

[mrjminer]

Never had a direct supervisor micromanage. Have had ones above them micromanage down to my level, though. And yea, what everyone else says works. Just constantly give them updates; eventually they will stop giving a fuck about you, or they'll just accept whatever you're sending them without constantly bothering you -- since you are constantly bothering them :biggrin:

If that doesn't work, then a new job is the only solution.

 

[inachu]

Back in the day I was famous for getting middle managers who were micro managers.

The most famous one was at the bank I worked at in the 90's

A network engineer was fired for sloppy job and the new network guy seemed to be just as awful but as they days went on the network started getting better and now a manager was hired who was not the manager of that new network engineer. But that manager would pick at him once the network was finally flawless. The manager had nobody else to pick on.
He then jumped on him for all the books he had behind his desk mentioning they were too many! Then the next day he just barked at him for reading the certification book all day.

So after that he fired the network guy who fixed our network issues.
I reported him to my boss and my boss fired that loser middle manager.

We tried to hire the network guy back but he refused to come back.

 

[sourceninja]

...

 

[Fritzo]

over report to a micro manager. Give them so much reporting they manage you less. works everytime

I tried that. They actually seem to feed off of it and start expecting the information

 

[steppinthrax]

Has anyone worked for a micromanager boss before? I'm having the highest level of difficulty dealing with the situation and it's causing severe stress in my life. I'm a permanent work from home, causing me to bring work situations into my everyday life and the life of my family. I'm talking about increased agitation, yelling, decreased motivation to exercise etc.

So, what's the best way to deal with a micromanager boss? P.S - I'm looking for a new job, hoping for a way out.

To be honest, and many may say it is wrong, but usually the best option is to quit your job. Get a job lined up and give 2-weeks notice. Don't sit there and make a fuss at your exit interview about how mess up your boss is. It's based on my experience that in most situations there is something inherently wrong with the organization and there is not much you can do to change that. Your boss is a micromanager, it is most likely something that is part of his personality or shitty management style he's acquired over the years. In general, unless you get him fired somehow (and no one knows about it) or if he dies/quits, there isn't much you can do.

If you do try to "go over his head" he can simply come back and twist the shit out of everything and make it like it's your fault. "Oh his performance is poor, he's always late, he takes long lunch breaks etc....

If you do try to go over his head, and succeed. The next boss will be aware that you made his predecessor leave and he/she will treat you differently for it. Worse case they will simply elevate someone within the group. In addition employees will be given a BS story that you're a problem employee.

Employers are nice aren't they.....

 

[s0me0nesmind1]

over report to a micro manager. Give them so much reporting they manage you less. works everytime

The problem I see with this strategy is they will lose any and all desire for you. How do you expect to get the "Buddy buddy" vibe and ever move up in life?

Just curious....

 

[HybridSquirrel]

The problem I see with this strategy is they will lose any and all desire for you. How do you expect to get the "Buddy buddy" vibe and ever move up in life?

Just curious....

It can do two ways.

1) Over reporting to him will make you seem like a hard worker, and he will be more prone to giving you raises/promotions/etc because of how hard you work

2) He will think you're being a pain in the ass and make your life difficult, in which case you find a new job with better pay.

win/win right?

 

[s0me0nesmind1]

It can do two ways.

1) Over reporting to him will make you seem like a hard worker, and he will be more prone to giving you raises/promotions/etc because of how hard you work

2) He will think you're being a pain in the ass and make your life difficult, in which case you find a new job with better pay.

win/win right?

Something tells me it's always going to be an OBVIOUS #2 to him that you're TRYING to be a pain in his ass.

To each their own. I'm with steppinthrax on this one, much like my last job I was getting the ol' weekly call on my calendar along with "surprise" calls and daily emails. Fuck you, I would have work to do, but you're too busy getting in the way of it. So I left.... for a fatter paycheck... and a promotion... and a competitor. I could tell when I told him he was pissed.

 

[Vdubchaos]

Your boss is as big of a problem as YOU make it.

You either let it effect your life and let it drag you down.....or you simply do your best and not let work/idiot boss effect your life.

It's YOUR choice.

Your boss is certainly an idiot, but YOU are a bigger one for letting this guy ruin your own life.



I simply refuse ANYTHING work related effect my life. Screw that.

To me that is "Working rule 101"

 

[s0me0nesmind1]

Your boss is as big of a problem as YOU make it.

You either let it effect your life and let it drag you down.....or you simply do your best and not let work/idiot boss effect your life.

It's YOUR choice.

Your boss is certainly an idiot, but YOU are a bigger one for letting this guy ruin your own life.



I simply refuse ANYTHING work related effect my life. Screw that.

To me that is "Working rule 101"

Depends what you do.... Not everyone works where there is a 5:00 bell that rings and you are all dismissed. You can laugh at him all you want on him slowing you down, if it keeps me up all night working it is my loss because I have to finish shit by deadlines.

 

[purbeast0]

Depends what you do.... Not everyone works where there is a 5:00 bell that rings and you are all dismissed. You can laugh at him all you want on him slowing you down, if it keeps me up all night working it is my loss because I have to finish shit by deadlines.

if you have to stay up all night to meet deadlines, then your management is terrible because they have set unrealistic expectations and deadlines.