To think hierarchy doesn't work at work?

[Scarlettjune]

I have a boss that is currently making my life a misery. She is very hierarchal and she wants me to see her as above me in status. She micro manages constantly. I have had a couple of bosses like her before and it always made the workplace extremely miserable. Hierarchy leaves workplaces open to abuse of power

The best bosses I ever had were the ones that saw themselves as being on the same level as the rest of us. I remember one great boss who said "I'm th same as the rest of you guys I just have different work responsbilities". We all worked really well with hk,

Absolutely. I resent authority, as I see authority often being abused. Just because we have used hierarchal structures in the workplace for a long time, doesn't make it right.

We all used to work in the office five days a week. Was that the best way to work?. Remote working only became a thing a couple of years ago

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.

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.

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 ?

Do verbal warnings go on references? Because she has given me a verbal warning for something

Before people ask. The verbal warning she gave me was for me forgetting to do something. I forgot to do it once in one year of working there.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

I've never included verbal warnings.

Completely agree. I had one absolute idiot of a manager who said “your job is to make me look good”. No one could do that mate. And another (on reflection he was a raving narcissist in the true definition) who wanted me to find him and say good morning every day, kind of reporting for duty as he was senior to me. I worked in financial services back office.

Thanks negativefreak. I think I should try and get out of there as we are not a good match. Someone else may be a better match for my manager, and I may get a better job match somewhere else

Usually managers start micromanaging when employees start taking the piss! I manage a large team. I only micromanage one person as he literally doesn’t do anything if left to his own devices! He has recently been diagnosed with ASD and ADHD. He needs micromanaging or he will waste endless time and then try to log it as overtime! He will always act like he is happy to help with any job but will not actually do anything unless micromanaged. Also takes a lot of sick leave whenever asked to come into the office. We work mainly from home. He has just taken 43 days off as we were in office 2-3 days a week over this period for some specific work. This I think will end only when he gets a disciplinary.

My boss micro manages all of us, though I have noticed that she micro manages the women more than the men. Various women that worked under my manager have told me that she upset them with her blunt and rude ways

Life's too short to be miserable at work.
Good luck!

Thank you!

Unless it was a commune or a collective then there was a hierarchy, you may not have been aware of it but there was

if it's a company - someone/people owned it
if it's a charity - there's a board of trustees
if it's a local authority - there's councillors

Unless everyone in the entire organisation sat down every morning and agreed every action that day, there was a hierarchy

Agree with this.
It's like saying your best friend in your 12 year old. But They can't be because someone needs to be in charge i.e be the parent.

Yes there were two people in manager positions. But there was no domination of people, no ordering around, no insisting that senior managers must be asked before we do anything.

My line manager there called us all in at the start and said "we are a team, I'm here to support you" he was excellent. He thanked us for our work every week. His style of management was not hierarchal in any way

Well you would, wouldn't you, unless YOU were the one in a senior position!! Somebody has to be 'in charge', being responsible for allocating work, praising or criticising others' work, and ultimately 'the buck stops with her'.

No I disagree. As I have written, I have worked in a place that wasn't hierarchal at all. All of the work got done.

Praising? She never praises. Only criticises. To all of our team.