The Micromanager - How do you deal with them?

Hey everyone,
I wanted to know how other people have dealt with their micromanager boss.

Currently I work as a marketing coordinator and discovered my boss was a micromanager. This manager constantly hovers over my should watching my monitor, lectures me how to write an email (not joking), tells me he doesn't like my copywriting (doesn't tell me how to improve), expects to me to constantly write content (doesn't care what it is, he wants to show his manager we have it all), gets frustrated if you don't take notes fast enough, threatened to fire me, and and also told my coworker if they didn't work hard enough that this manager would fire me so they would have to work harder. To top it off, upper management gave this person VP of Marketing title when they only have less than 3 years of experience.

At first this manager told me I had to work on my web coding skills or there wouldn't be a need for it. So every day I would practice my basic HTML, CSS, some PHP, and Wordpress, and we haven't done any projects requiring this. Next this manager told me my copywriting sucks, but doesn't coach me how to do better?

I want to find a new job, but haven't had any luck yet.

 

It may shock you, but it could be that he just simply doesn't like / trust you. I recall working at one place over 10 years ago now. The director there didn't like me that much and micromanaged everything I did, constantly questioning my decisions related to the job. On the other hand, there was another employee there who was lazy as hell, yet he could do no wrong in his eyes, just because he liked him. The "good" thing was there was yet another employee that he hated even more, so I wasn't the only one being constantly questioned. Take your current experience as a learning curve. One day it'll be over and you'll come out of it as a stronger person. Looking back now I know that experience taught me to be more patient.

 

If you have the skill set that was all but forced on you, keep that crappy job and take on tasks here, and maybe other forums and sites, and start making money online.

After you've had a reasonable time of making enough to support all that you need to in RL turn in your notice there. Telling that guy that you are now financially independent of work and he can shove is demeanor up is ass.

Also, in the mean time, when he says that your copywriting sucks, ask him how it needs to be improved, toss the ball in to his court. Do it in a sickeningly sweet way so that you kill him with kindness.

Use the douche and toss him out later.

 

Or... just tell him to get the hell out of your way, and let you do your job? I seriously wonder sometimes, how job security and job safety works in other countries. If I had a boss like that, I would simply just go to HIS manager (or HR), report him, and tell him, courteously, that he had been reported, and that I wanted peace to do my work properly, and if he wanted me to improve anything, he would have to suggest how.

 

Here in the US that would largely depend on your seniority position. I can't imagine someone coming to a new place of work and then reporting the boss shortly after just because the boss happens to be a bit overbearing. In the US a company (or the boss) doesn't have to have a reason to fire someone. Most people will not be risking their employment by reporting their boss to his/her superiors. It may backfire spectacularly. Now, if you've been with the company for years and years, then you can probably voice your concerns more openly since you probably have a good rapport with everyone including your boss and his/her superiors.

 

Yeah... in my country we have laws - which basically means that it's difficult to fire anyone, as long as they're actually hired by the company. We also have a government agency that can handle any grievances, and can also overturn any wrongful dismissals and such.

 

Yeah, if only America did not allow businesses to treat employees as mere overhead, no different than the gas, electric, water/sewer costs that need to be trimmed. If we would get in to the 21st Century we might actually be better off....

And a good portion of it wants to vote for a guy that wants to regress it even more.

Ahh, but that's politics and should not be brought up I suppose....