Micro Management

[Smurf]

Can someone please tell me how we got to the point of "Micro Management" to the tenth power in every aspect of our professional career ???????

Why does every manager (not supervisor, they died with common sense) want to know what your doing every minute of every day. They never give compliments, you will never meet their expectations, but yet they give you a raise every year (however miniscule).

Where did our Leaders go ????

Where are the people (leaders and supervisors) we looked up to and respected, and would fight thru 10 yards of hell for ?????

I find that now, as long as the "Manager" gets credit for everything you do, and you don't put forth all the effort and forethought that you could have (just do what he says the way he says to do it) then he doesn't chew on your butt and leaves you along until next time. Meanwhile he bask in the glory of Praise from his "Managers" for making it look and work so well, when in fact it could have been made better by consulting one or more of his (or her) numbers................oops I mean employees.

In the voice of Radar Oreily: "That is All".

[Mavman]

The real bosses have gave up or hit the road........now we just have chair warming nim rods that make sure your doing the things that make them look good. Only pointing out things or treating you like a bug to show their power over you.....but whoops at eval time, yippie your doing a wonderful job, yet don't get enough to cover the cost of living.

I know very well where your coming from, I too deal with it everyday......that and a$$ kissing pee-ons that think to make you look bad is a great way of making them look good.

[Basso]

I'm sorry to say this, but both of you sound bitter. I won't try to defend the mythical managers you speak of, but I know that there are many managers where I work that do not fit that description at all.

[Smurf]

You are very fortunate.

I wouldn't say "Bitter", I just miss the old days when everyone worked as a team to get the job done and self motivation was rewarded instead of frowned upon.

[DeRiggi]

Well, I manage a staff of 17, and i have an Assistant Manager who handles a lot of the questions and day to day tasks, but i am still the "go to" for my staff for any major issues. I can tell you this, i have stood behind my staff 100% when i felt they deserved it. At the same time, i have no problem laying into someone when they deserve it as well.

I am constantly praising those that do a good job, sometimes in private, sometimes in public. And for those who i feel need some pushing along, i have found that positive reinforcement and focusing on someones strengths really will motivate someone. I have actualy taken employees from other departments who have had 1 foot out the door and turned them around in a matter of months using the proper tool.

As Smurf said, Micro-Managing seems to be the norm now, and i do everythng in my power to avoid that. I know i get it from the Directors and Owners of the company, but i refuse to pass that style of management along.

[Smurf]

Your a Supervisor and a Leader not a "Micro Manager".

Your a Dinosaur, last of the Mohicans, a Dying Breed. Your employees respect you, that is why it works so well.

Thanks

[inspiron]

Micro-management is one of the biggest mistakes a manager can make. If I have to micro-manage my employees, then I have failed as a manager.

A manager's job is not unlike the conductor of an orchestra. You need to coordinate that all of the individual instruments are played at the right time, and that the result is beautiful music (and not random noise). But you can't stand behind every musician, telling them what note to play next. The individual musicians must be able to read music and play their part - your job as a leader is to coordinate and unify the individuals, not suffocate each one. You should be promoting talent, not scaring it away.

(someone please take away this soapbox before I climb up again!!)

[Smurf]

Sorry Dude,

Right now it's "All Consuming". We are all adults, we know our jobs, now leave us alone and let us do our job.

Thats all I'm saying.......let us do our job.

[DeRiggi]

I absolutely agree.....The worst part is, it shows you are not trusted when you have someone breathing down your neck the whole day. If i hire someone for a position available here, i am hiring them because i feel they have the proper skills to perform the tasks that they are assigned. Why should i waste my time, take away from other important tasks just to ensure that they are doing what i hired them for....99% of the time they are....and if they are slacking that 1%, you know what...IT HAPPENS!!!

I'm on here half the day, i have no room to talk =]

[themeatmanlandry]

I work for the gov't. My "manager" is a yuppie and his assistant is a joke. My supervisor, on the other hand, is a former Army non-com . . . he knows how to get stuff done and keep you happy at the same time. Really good guy. I can't say enough about him.

[Mavman]

yeah, bitter that the upper management treated the REAL former managers like shizzle in a way that they left in a hurry, leaving behind wack jobs that don't even know the job their in charge of/over.

And yes, I've tried to find employment elsewhere, problem is, those openings in my profession are pretty scarce, insurance sucks or wanna pay me diddly. I've got a family to help support and I just tough it out and blow the crap off most of the time and do the job to the best of my ability.

[Clint]

I hate to say it, but the best managers I've had were when I worked at a new Home Depot for a year and a half. They atmosphere of empowerment was amazing. I only wish I hadn't had to work four out of five weekends or I'd still be there, probably as an assistant manager making sixty grand plus stock.

[koolbreeze25]

I currently have a position with a local county government(water/wastewater lab). Another guy and myself collect drinking water samples. Our manager is bad enough, but the supervisor above him is really bad. Neither one has a clue about how long it can really take to collect samples. No considerasion for traffic, getting stopped by trains, school busses, or what ever else that can happen. So am I bitter, YES, but I still do my job.

[inspiron]

Originally Posted by RowdyRed94

probably as an assistant manager making sixty grand plus stock.

Yea, but what would you do with a stock of builder supplies at home if you're working all the time?

[omegajim]

So am I bitter, YES, but I still do my job.

I resemble that remark!

.......or as I have been known to say "aren't you sick of talking stupid, because I'm sick of hearing it."

Yes, I've called managers, engineers and other types stupid right to their face. Well I've called their ideas stupid, which allows them the distance to change their minds from stupid talk, to 'think before I talk stupid.'

[HAMMERPETE]

Originally Posted by Smurf

Can someone please tell me how we got to the point of "Micro Management" to the tenth power in every aspect of our professional career ???????

Why does every manager (not supervisor, they died with common sense) want to know what your doing every minute of every day. They never give compliments, you will never meet their expectations, but yet they give you a raise every year (however miniscule).

Where did our Leaders go ????

Where are the people (leaders and supervisors) we looked up to and respected, and would fight thru 10 yards of hell for ?????

I find that now, as long as the "Manager" gets credit for everything you do, and you don't put forth all the effort and forethought that you could have (just do what he says the way he says to do it) then he doesn't chew on your butt and leaves you along until next time. Meanwhile he bask in the glory of Praise from his "Managers" for making it look and work so well, when in fact it could have been made better by consulting one or more of his (or her) numbers................oops I mean employees.

In the voice of Radar Oreily: "That is All".

SMURF having had two individuals that were in the management position over me, One I call a douche bag and one a REAL BOSS!
I found how to eliminate mirco managing.
The first boss was totally predictable. He wasted to know everything he inquired about that morning at quarters.
He wanted to know this at the end of the day. Sometimes this crap was so out there it had me saying "WTF"
So after a year of banging my head against the bulkhead..I made him give me a list of the requirements. I photo copied this list. He intentionally lost the list the first couple of times.
Then came the explanation of list...I went threw the list myself, line by line.
He always came back with a question, First time I wasn't prepared second time I was.
Then after that I told him it is written right there on the page...so no questions.
At the time I was a 3rd class and this was a Lieutenant.
My second BOSS was more appreciative and saw my skills. He hardly ever talked to me other than to let me know that all was good. I received more awards than ever with this boss. I asked him after the first award about how he knew of the job. He told me he didn't have to go behind me and look for loose ends. Also he received raves on my performance.
After the third award he asked me how I could do such a good job....I told him about the first BOSS.
He understood.

This was many moons ago and many more Supervisors. The terms Self Starter and Can do spirit were always listed in my evaluations.

Even the present ...The new supervisors are like WOW! What normally takes our new trainees five months took 2 months.