How would you define micromanaging at work? Ever been on receiving end?

[rustywheelcog]

Not sure if I'm being sensitive as I've started a new job which is stressful anyway, plus the world is stressful right now too.

My managers and bosses are all men and starting to get the distinct impression that one is a little bit put out by me being on the team. He's very nice in one way, it's not like he's horrible. At times the rest of the team are asking for me to explain the thing that's my niche.

He'll edit the document I've written which changes the meaning slightly (to be less impactful, rather than outright wrong) which is annoying. He asked me to edit another piece of work I'd done, which I did thinking I was doing what he asked. But just had slightly sarky email saying he "appreciated my ingenuity, but that's not what I asked you to do". Honestly I thought I was doing as he asked.

I'm uncomfortable but appreciate I could be being silly. Does this sound like a typical dynamic? I've been freelancing and independent for ages and then back doing postgrad so a bit unsure of what is normal!

Have you ever had similar?

I had a one ‘lovely’ boss, that couldn’t work out why I was there, so made me record everything I did, I spent most of the day updating his bloody spreadsheet, couldn’t wait to leave. Sounds like you are having a bit of a power struggle, ask him to explain what he wanted done and confirm before you do anything else.

This sounds like micromanaging to me. My experience was a manager constantly altering text I'd written (reports/marketing copy etc) for no reason/effect. Just because he could, just because he was a misogynistic arse control freak. I wish I had some advice for you but it's really hard to deal with. I basically just changed jobs as soon as I could. He was the same with most other people at the small company we worked for, but seemed to take an especial dislike to me. Used to spy on my emails and comment on my email style as well. Nutter! Does your manger do this to others as well? Or is it just you? It might help to mark down examples of when he has edited your documents in ways you feel lessen their impact. Then you might be able to raise the issue with him/his superior with some non-emotional evidence to hand. Good luck!

It's hard. I'm a manager and I have one employee whose reports I edit because he has a principle of why use 100 words when you could use a 1000. Nothing he says is wrong but it is incredibly long winded and hard to read and I'm aware that the people we are trying to 'sell' a new process to lose the will to live half way through.. And I know he doesn't understand why despite my trying to explain.

Ok now I'm really annoyed.

Two managers asked me to draft something, advised me to leave out technical aspects. I had explained the technical aspects of a process to them.

Big boss emails back and says it makes no sense without the technical details, how does X and Y work?

Both managers have replied, trying to explain the stuff I taught them, but with some slight mistakes, which is misleading. FFS.

Hi 're your latest update, rewrite with the correct technical aspects and email it back to the big boss saying you have now 're-written as the two managers had asked you to leave out the technical buts.
Be factual

...technical bits

That sounds frustrating and like they are all bad at communicating.

This won’t help but it might be entertaining -
I had a micro-manager who would tell me to ring someone and the exact words to say. I would ring up as directed, they would be engaged or on voicemail. I’d call again, get through, start my spiel and they’d say all puzzled “yes I know all this your boss has just rung and said this to me.” I’d get off the phone and boss would ring and say “I rang x and you hadn’t rung him so I had to tell him. Then I rang you and you weren’t available what have you been doing?”

Mind you he was a narcissistic psychopath. Once I worked that out I realised I wasn’t mad or stupid but being gaslit, and quit.

Delegating then constantly checking in and telling you how to do it

Nit picking over little thinks in reports (or whatever type of output) making changes for change's sake

Not allowing you and discretion or responsibility to make decisions without checking in first for their ok