oh no, a micro-manager...AIBU to write back a cheeky response....

[justhereforthecraic]

My boss emailed my team this morning and requested the location of a document. Easily sorted, My colleague kindly emailed her back with the document attached as she had used it recently. My boss then asked if this could be "re-jigged" to include one more item ( which she listed). I like creative tasks so I replied saying i would happily play around with it to which all agreed. My colleague was delighted for it to be out of her hands as she was busy dealing with an emergency so thanked me for helping!

I did as requested by my boss and even made the document more "user-friendly". My colleagues all replied back when I sent it to them and agreed it was perfect and we moved on with our day. Our little team is usually good at coming together on tasks like this and we like to get things signed off quickly.

However, I've just had an email from my boss saying she has made a few small amendments to the document. I went into look at it and I barely recognize the document. She deleted 80% of what I had written and added in her ideas. I really want to respond and say, WOW where is the document I created and why did you bother agreeing to me doing it and then changing it ?!?!?! but that's not professional...

AIBU to write something back....if so what could I say that would get the point across without being rude or cheeky or should I just say nothing and move on with my day.

Don't think this is micro-managing - she didn't like what you'd done - have a look and see if you can learn anything from her changes.

It sounds like she was not clear in her ask. Not sure of the best way to approach though! This is about communication of expectations/ the task by her. If she had to rewrite 80% then the task was unclear.

@justhereforthecraic I think with some it's combination of control and communication issues.

Mine was lovely but gosh... Really bad in communicating and motovating and general managing. But lovely person

That's just poor management though. I'm assuming you now know how to have constructive/ difficult conversations?

Next stage is usually for the manager to start complaining that their team can’t seem to use their initiative or accept responsibility for doing things, but has to be told what to do all the time!

I'd probably have asked if she'd attached the wrong document in her email, it's so different, is this an earlier draft instead?

And I'd certainly stop volunteering to waste my time on tasks she's going to completely re-do.

@WhereYouLeftIt that was exactly the kind of response i would have LOVED to send!! however, ive kept it professional and just asked from some feedback so i know what to expect in future ( however, i wont be volunteering my time again )

This is annoying and you just have to not take it personally, it doesn't mean your document was wrong, some people just feel the need to change everything. It's very obvious these people are the issue not the document, because otherwise it'd happen all the time when in reality it's usually just one person.

To me it's poor management, nothing more. I would only change something on the level of tweak, or if I thought it may offend a client. If it needs 80% changing then the request wasn't clear.

The only other option is that you are unable to do your job - seriously 80% change indicates incompetence somewhere so either way she's failing.

Sometimes you need someone to lay down the framework. I struggle to start something from scratch but I can correct something and make it what I want it to be.

I thought you were going to say that she returned it and told you to change loads of it. She changed it herself. I can't see the problem.

100% this. And either way, it indicates poor management. Either by not giving clear briefs or by failing to offer appropriate performance management/ constructive feedback.

I do this sometimes… I think I know what I want but when it comes back to me it’s not quite what I imagined. I will sometimes then make the changes myself as I don’t always know exactly what I’m imagining until it’s done.

But there is also a lack of experience in my team so I don’t expect the juniors to get it right, rather give me a starting point.

I appreciate that’s not a management strength of mine, but I do debrief with colleagues afterwards on why I’ve changed what I have.

It’s really up to her. You sound a bit too sure of yourself and conceited about the quality of your work. I’ve received documentation drafts that need revision and if it’s required it gets changed. No egos involved.

@Sunsetintheeast yeah, i agree its poor management. To be honest, im more than capable of doing my job. This document was a tiny part of my job as im more hands on and dealing with customers face to face. Ive been in this job a long time and i have never experienced anything like the way she manages. My last manager was amazing. Very helpful and always trying to develop and support me. Its just different styles I suppose. Very frustrating!

It might not have been "wrong" but they're the boss and they thought it could be done better. So lump it.

Don't be passive as others suggest OP. You're entitled to a satisfying workplace.

"Boss, thanks so much for confirming. I can see you've amended parts; in order to learn for future tasks, could we have a quick catch up at some point about what you're looking for in these type of tasks? I'd love to learn more about it. Apologies it wasn't up to scratch on this occasion".

She may genuinely have good feedback for you that you can learn from. Perhaps she has a wider view on what's needed.

Or, if nothing else, it may give her time to reflect on how she's handled the situation and let her see that she's just rewritten it rather than improved it, so it's a monumental waste of time for everyone.

Unless she has useful feedback, I'd do what others say and withdraw from extra work or ask for very explicit instructions before taking something on.

I think they do stuff like that to show who’s in charge. I’m assuming your work was well-written and easy to understand? Probs jealousy. I’m betting she’s not a graduate. Just something I’ve observed over the years

A one-off say nothing.

If it is a trend, then do say something.

I take it you're not at the top of some management decision tree... or at least you shouldn't be

My junior colleague gets really wound up when very senior colleagues do this and has no problem saying to them via email and in meetings that if they do this, then it means they weren't explicit to start with how they wanted the document presented or it's content. When she does this I sort of cringe but, this a big but, she has never got in trouble, always gets an apology and they always try and be clearer next time. So hats off to her.

Communication is a two way thing.

It’s more than just different styles. It’s levels of managerial competence and leadership ability. Their problem and failings, but sadly, it causes issues that you end up having to deal with. But hey ho, do what you can to minimise and remember your wages are compensation the company pays you for dealing with the rest.

If a document has been drafted but it could be better or isn't how the manager envisioned it I don't see why they shouldn't re do it

Just what I came here to say.

OP you'd be best off asking for feedback and learning from this rather than assuming its a fault with your manager. I know it stings a bit to realise something wasn't up to scratch but better to learn from it and do it better next time.

Only as long as they can write a better document than the original, otherwise it’s pointless tinkering to show their seniority

When I started in my current job, I was told to just get something down on paper, a broad outline, as everybody would change it anyway. I never worry about the content now, having a document started seems to galvanise the team into adding their necessary bits, so it doesn't really matter what I put. Works for us, I'm never offended, and they're seemingly very grateful that I've started a task.