Help! I'm Being Micromanaged!

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I started with my company managing a group of individuals in an off-shore office. We have 61 offices, one large one in Europe. When the government decided to remove tax incentives for companies with overseas operations, they shut down my office and I had to go back to square one. My boss (whom I like and respect a lot) told me it was told it was 'temporary' until they can create or move me elsewhere. I did my best at this job, and was almost always at the top of the daily production reports.
Well the boss that was going to find a different position for me left, and a new one took over. The new guy put a girl in charge who always used to "challenge" me for top production lead. Now that she's in charge, she's doing everything in her power to micromanage me. She does real-time audits of my work on a daily basis... there are 20 employees in my section of the company and I am 100% sure she doesn't do this for everyone, as it's a time consuming task. At first, I was correcting her because she'd audit me for things that were completely incorrect. I think that bugged her, but hey- I didn't want to have a bad audit score attached to my name when I rarely make a mistake. My mistakes are usually being TOO detailed, rather than the reverse. In an government-scrutinized and government-regulated industry like mine, anyone would prefer more detailed to less.
I asked my new boss to consider moving me to another area once I finished training the new hires. I also 'created' a job with descriptions and everything for a position which I feel we absolutely need to continue to be competitive. He completely brushed me aside.
I have been in the same position for about 6 years, while my micromanager boss has been there for about 3. I have no problem with promoting folks who are genuinely more qualified over folks who've been there longer. But she's not qualified. She'll audit me for asking for something one week, then audit me for forgetting to ask for it next week (note: not forgotten, just trying to follow her prior audit requirements).
The economy sucks big time right now and the only offer I've had the last 3 years I've been looking for a new job was a 60% pay cut, which I just couldn't afford to do. Looking back of course I wish I'd taken it... but I digress. I started off on the wrong foot (unknowingly) with my boss and now I can't escape the micromanaging. I've turned into an unhappy, snippy, easily pissed off person. I hate who I've become. I sure hope my micromanager is enjoying herself though, destroying a life to make yourself feel better is such a noble task (*sarcasm*). A job isn't worth destroying your spirit, but it's too late for me. If you have a micromanager who makes you cry or causes you to be depressed every Sunday night through Thursday night, leave. It's not worth it. Take that pay cut and work your way up at a new company.

Ray of PA 9:38AM August 16, 2011

Here is a funny video about micromanaging. Take a look and tell me what you think!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LGm2P146txM

Zac of AR 2:24PM August 09, 2011

As an employee, I was hired because I was the best candidate for the position. I have excelled and was given excellent reviews, horrible raises, due to economy. But hey my boss drives in with a brand new bmw 2010 totally loaded, huh, Im struggling financially and let them know, (I did this in a calm professional manner) since I have said this, I feel I am a value to the company and management and would like them to consider raise. Now since I work for a small company with no HR and lots of gossip, by management I am now written up as insubordinate and if I request any future earnings from the company I will be terminated. Im in customer service have been for 30 years. My calls, computer every keystroke is now watched and monitored. I think this is what people are talking about. Not managers that need to prod people on or hands on, love those kind of managers as they are always available to thier employee's. What I dont like are a little gang of managers that think they can run roughshod over employee's and get away with making the employee's life a living hell. Work is stressfull enough without being micromanaged by managers that should not be in managing positions as they are abusing their authority. The only person who comes out the loser in these situations is the employee.

Bob of CA 10:25AM July 29, 2011

Two individuals with PHDs in Industrial Psychology recently highlighted the issue of micromanagement. They focused on the obvious problems of over-managing capable professionals, but also touched on the reality that some claims of micromanagement are false. In some cases employees perceive being “aggressively managed” either because they are incompetent, or simply do not like being managed (this point of view is presented at http://www.transassoc.com/whatismicromngt).

Michael Cusack of NJ 1:27PM June 09, 2011

Excellent article. I hate micromanaging but I have had some employees who simply don't manage themselves. The work has to get done and they won't or can't organize their time and priorities. My boss holds me accountable when the department isn't effective, so I'll do whatever I have to, even if it means micromanaging. It feels like infantalizing to me, but if someone treats their workplace like their living room or personal playground, then that might be appropriate. I would much much much prefer to take a hands-off approach. But some people can't handle that, while others thrive on it. I have had repeated conversations, write-ups and semi-counseling sessions with people who can't straighten up for more than a couple of weeks, yet I can't fire them due to constraints in the organization. I have experienced adults who play video games every time I turn my back or take a day off, hold long conversations on the phone while ignoring customers, consistently miss deadlines, and turn the department into a laughingstock. At my last position I was sent to the most underperforming unit in order to turn it around and I got tired of the insubordination and grief these grown children gave me. I left and never looked back.

AE of IN 5:38PM April 29, 2011

My facility is a school with children who struggle to learn and have emotional needs. About 1 year ago we lost 45% of our education staff and have not been allowed to rehire. Several staff are overworked and do not have time to adequately fulfill all our daily duties as well as give our best to our studets. We have a certified micromanager for a principal and things have become very tense at our worksite. We are at the point where we have contacted her boss, the superintendant of schools and are ready to begin Union negotiations if we do not get the support we need to better perform our job duties. This principal has only been with us 2 years but it seems like a life time. Please give me advice or let me know if we are on the right track.
Thank you!

Sangie(Nickname) of CT 1:36PM May 08, 2010

I have a co-worker who is micromanaging me. Her power is derived from "owning" the documentation I was hired to help her with. Rather than just giving me assignments (I am extensively experienced in the tools we use), she has to connect to my computer, and then tell me step-by-step what to click to do a certain activity. I become flustered and confused working this way. On the latest occasion, she instructed me to do something in a way that did not work at all. She never asks me when this kind of activity is convenient for me; she merely announces when we are going to do it, whether I want to do it then, or have other things I'm doing, or not. When I give my status in team meetings, she either scolds me during the meeting or sends an instant message immediately to chastise me. As I said, this person has no supervisory authority over me, but she constantly goes to the manager to complain about "interpersonal" problems with me. I am beginning to feel besieged. Now she is saying that I am not to work on the documentation at all, and explaining to the boss the timing is not appropriate. When I try to explain to her that I need more space, that I am competent, she complains to the manager that we have "interpersonal" problems.
I need this job, but I am feeling so stressed and strained that I am virtually paralyzed; I am virtually afraid to do anything at all.

Miserable of NC 10:06AM April 25, 2010

I am a degreed professional with over 26 years years of experience and my manager treats me like I am a teenager with a summer job.
I have a management background with a management degree but no recent management (10 years ago) experience due to personal reasons. I have been yelled at, threatened and the last straw was she would like me to log down every activity that I do during the day and the time it takes to complete each.
Her boss is the CFO and in the past has told me to ignore her but told me in this case to keep peace for myself to throw some numbers together and give them to her to keep her quiet.
Everyone is aware of her bad management skills and most people totally ignore her but it is hard when you report directly to her and she can make or break you.
If I was a bad employee I might be able to understand this request but I very rarely miss work, I work no less that 45 hours a week and my error rate is less than 1%. I am well liked and I have received numerous emails directed to her and human resources stating that I am great to work with and other emails from managers asking to borrow me for projects.
I guess I'm wondering how someone like this can become and stay a manager, while others that are more deserving are never given a second look?
I also do not know what Ishould do at this point.

Sandy H of TX 11:23PM September 10, 2009

I just had a temp assignment in data entry where we were all micromanged to the third power. The productivity expectations they were shooting for were totally unrealistic, and they actually went around and timed us. Somewhere I have heard these type of situations being described as "electronic sweatshops." Don't they realize that this type of situation can provide fertile breeding ground for a revival of unions, something all companies seem to dread like the plague?
In many of the files we worked with we had to make like archaeologists and go digging to find the information we needed to enter, and that definitely lowered our scores. Aren't there ways to be productive without such heavy micromanagement? It has bee proven that in the long run micromanagement actually lowers productive because of the addition stress resulting in increased absenteeism and turnover, when they have to start again training new people. And very often micromanagers end up being ousted themselves due to the conditions I have just described.

beechnut of IL 12:03PM November 10, 2008