To think hierarchy doesn't work at work?

She is the kind of manager who lowers productivity and there are many of them. Micromanaging and overly obsessed with status, rather than simply seeing herself as having different responsibilities. UK would be so much more productive with fewer of these people. Then again, managers are so frequently not trained for their work.

Oh, non-hierarchial organisations DO exist. Worker co-ops. They can be super successful, but when they don't work, the REALLY don't work.

The more incompetent and insecure ones tend to micro manage and throw their weight around more. Presumably that is because they are desperate for respect but don't know how to get it.

Being able to manage managers is a really useful work skill. You have as much control over the relationship you have with them as they do.

Do you think all parents are bad when you read a parental abuse story in the press? Your manager may or may not be a bad manager, but you can’t chastise an entire system because of your very limited experience.

Are you sure they had no hierarchy?

Who owned/ran the place? Did they have an assistant/deputy manager? Who did you go to if you had any issues?

Very likely they did have one, BUT they were very good leaders and manager that made you feel valued, which resulted in a productive workplace.

Hierarchy is never the issue; poor managers and leaders are. There is a huge difference between the two.

Concerning your early comment on traumatised army personnel. There is a high likelihood that the trauma comes from either them not coping with the environment they are working in, as it requires a particular mindset for very good reason, given the environments they train and prepare for, ot they have been involved in incidents many people will never be exposed to and never understand, again very particular to the line of work they are in. The military will need a good hierarchy more than anywhere. They may still have bad leaders and managers, but again, that's different.

When you say abuse, what actually happens? Screaming and ahouting, or en email reminding you to do it in future?

Sounds like you're persistently not doing something you have been repeatedly asked to do.

Do you think everyone in a team should be paid the same money ?
But do different jobs.
Do you think the surgeon in a hospital should be paid the same as the porter who trollies the person into the operating theatre ?

I had a brilliant team leader where I worked m Everyone was part of the team and the work was always done. Then she left and we got a new team leader. The atmosphere at work was awful. She wouldn't listen to any ideas and changed things so they didn't work so well. She also often didn't do her job, meaning the rest of us had to (we worked in childcare and she would "forget" to assign key workers or schedule settling ins), then she would moan because we'd sorted it out.
Thankfully she didn't last long.

My old boss used to give good references to those he didn't like as he was over the moon to see them go.

Besides, references aren't a request for 'glowing reports'. They're usually along the lines of 'are their any ongoing disciplinaries or serious issues or warnings in place?' Most references are pretty neutral.

You seem to have a problem with anyone being superior to you
of course your boss is a higher level ridiculous to say you should all be the same

I suspect you resent authority

Being a manager doesn’t mean you are dominating nor treating people like crap.
The two just don’t automatically follow.
It does mean you have to get the tasks the team have to do, done.
You can treat people with respect and still be a great manager. Who will be paid more than their team are.

I agree. I manage people but of course im
no better than them. I can’t let them get on with it because they don’t, someone needs to be in charge to hold everyone to a certain standard, to deal with problems that arise and be the one to take the flak.

I don’t envy my boss at all. I find the people most bothered about the power imbalance are those with the least who push back against what they perceive as unfairness.

OK so that is indeed weird.

It was hard to know from your description to that point if there was anything wrong but that should have been raised to her line manager or HR if you have HR.
She has some issues.

The issue isn't "hierarchy", it's the micromanaging. Of course your manager is "higher" than you at work, she is responsible for managing the team.

I manage a team at work. They have to get certain things signed off by me. That's just a fact. It also means if the shit hits the fan and it's due to something I signed off the buck stops with me. That's the effect of the higher responsibilities.

Micromanaging is silly though. Who has time for that. My own manager asks people NOT to cc him in to all and sundry, just stuff he really needs to be aware of.

With respect I think you’re being a bit naive about how workplaces work. In most businesses there needs to be some sort of hierarchy or things just don’t get done. Its very hard to run all the functions of a business properly when no one has the ultimate responsibility for decisions.

But good bosses don’t micromanage (except perhaps when a new staff member is being onboarded). They lead by example, delegate and supervise.

I think the idea of a hierarchy free workplace is unrealistic though.

Of course hierarchy is needed in the workplace.

The problem isn’t hierarchy. The problem is shit bosses who don’t know how to manage.

You might not like it, but if I were you I would just copy her in on absolutely everything and ask her before you do anything at all, anything to make your life easier while you look for something else. Malicious compliance!
You never know, if you copy her in on everything, then maybe she won’t feel the need to ask you, and she might back off eventually.

It’s the buck that stops, not the book!