Lack of autonomy - can you change a control freak!

[generousoffer]

I am a freelancer. Used to be quite senior (for my age) before children but then left to move out of London. Been freelancing ever since.

I have a contract at the moment for a small company. I like the team, right industry, short commute etc.

The trouble is, the MD is one of those people who wants to control everything. It's not playing to my strengths. He is always complaining that he has too much to do but actually, it is because he refuses to delegate. Every piece of work I do is changed (by him) as he would have done it differently.

There are lots of meetings I should take, and which are in my field of expertise but he takes them and wants me to tell him what to say.

It's really getting me down and I'm not sure what to do. I don't think talking to him would help as I think it's so ingrained it's not something he would be able to change. Even if I tried, what would I say?

I could look around for something else but I really wanted it to work as it's so convenient.

Continuing to work for them is stopping me from making other contacts and I think damaging my prospects long term.

Help!

Convenient but de-skilling you and hampering your long-term prospects. Hmmm

Sounds like an obvious if painful decision is needed here to be honest.

Good luck. :)

Yes, I think you're right. I'm going to have to stick it out til Easter and throw myself into looking for something else I think.

Good luck. It is so frustrating when a nearly-perfect-but-not-quite situation happens. Raise a fist to the skies and rage against the unfairness of it. Why can't you have your cake and eat it? pants pants pants.

hope you're next position is a goody. :)

I worked for a terrible control freak pre-baby and I'm afraid that I did not deal with it and instead left after as long as I could bear it - 18 months. I work for another control freak now but he is also quite loveable and I want a convenient job to fit in with having kids so have made myself be less bothered!

I am a control freak company owner and I am afraid I see it differently. When I bring in a freelancer it is to do a specfic job and I want it done my way. By employing a freelancer it means I have no responsability to 'develop' the individual. And yes I suck every piece of useful stuff I can learn from a freelancer out of them, because my responsability is to myself and my business.

My permanent full time staff all have regular development meetings and I mostly give to them. But on the whole I pay them less than freelancers.
Sounds really selfish I know, but I don't think I am alone in this.

Sounds like a no brainer...

You will never change anyone so you need to decide if you can tolerate him. If you can't then you need to move on. Another job will come up in the right. You just need to have a bit of faith!