What Makes a Micromanager?

I just left a company having worked for an extreme micromanager, who also happened to be the owner. I tried creative ways of managing up but to no avail. My best advice: *anticipate* the micromanagement on every task, build it into your schedule, and explicitly build in elements in which you can involve your boss-from-the-dark-side but you don't really care about the outcome (i.e. he or she can have it any way they want without compromising the overall result). And be firm in showing the boss how his or her insistence on approvals is slowing everything down.

I just put in my notice to a micromanager/owner myself. It didn't bother me too much, but it was definitely counterproductive. Weekly reports of all my tasks, tons of reporting on my activities, etc. - and I was an upper-level worker! I wasn't afraid to disagree with him or share my own ideas, but he was a dictator and the only thing that opened his eyes were the results: my ideas were always a hit, the one's I disagreed with him on always failed. I think he's finally realized my value and he is begging me to stay, but it's too late! I think the problem is that small business owners are used to doing everything themselves (since they probably started the company by themselves). The trick is to know when to let go - to know what is important. To grow from a small somewhat successful company to a larger succeessful company, owners need to switch from do-it-yourselfers to leaders - motivating their employees rather than controlling them!

Welcome to the real world. It is plagued with micro-managers. My only advice to people who want to confront micro-managers is DON'T. Micro-management is a complex behavior issue which arises from deep rooted insecurity. You can't change that by confronting a boss in 30 mins duration. Change your boss if you can. If the situation still doesn't improve, I would suggest to change the job. Working with a micro-manager is a very serious career issue and you don't learn anything from them.

For almost a year, I worked for a micromanager. She was pure Hell and had laa the symptoms, above. She wanted daily reports and I had to call her, as well as email her. She put impossible goals to meet while limiting my overtime to 0. The department went downhill but she was able to make it appear everyone else was inept on their reviews because they could not live up to her demands and expectations. She ran the department into the ground, then jumped ship while she still smelled like roses. it took the company six months to repair the damage she did. The sad part is the people she left in her wake with poor performance reviews who have to prove themselves to the new manager who only has what she said to go by. I am on an employee improvement program now because of her. Heck, I have been with the company over 10 years but if I tried to tell her something, she would tell ME how it was even though she was totally ignorant of the process and requirements. i am glad she is gone. Bad thing is, in case of a downturn, my butt is on the line because of this person.

I'm currently working for a micromanager. Power-"harrasment" is his speciality; he likes to threaten his employees with his authority. If things do not go the way he wants, he threatens employees for termination or transfer. Other thing is he has to know where subordinates are, even on weekend. If he wants to know that much of an employee, I am planning to call him when I am making bowel movement, and report how it came out, and estimate time needed to wipe my butt. Last, but not the least... He thinks his subordinates are utterly useless, and does not trust any of them. Yet, he still expects employees to be motivated. I'm in the situation where I cannot quit the job. (and this control freak knows it.) So, this makes the situation even worse.