I will Micromanage YOU

I dont know how many people micromanage others or how many of you have ever once been micromanaged! Some people have such a tough time to delegate tasks.. and then they overwork and say theres too much to do.
One such lady works at my dh's office. She has lot of responsibilty and lot of work to do. Also to help her are 2 assistants. But the lady forever complains of too much of work to do and not enough time to do it. My dh suggests that she should delegate the work to her assistants. But she is not able to delegate all. Even if she does delegate, she goes behind them and continually micromanages each step. In this manner she actually aggravates everyone.
Its almost a mean thing to do actually. Once you give the work that needs to be done why go on about how its being done or whether its being done or continually annoy the person who's trying to do the work.
This does not have to happen in offices only. My late MIL was probably the best person I know who knew how to micromanage. Actually my mother is good at that too. Anyway my MIL would say one morning Iam too tired to cook so you make the lunch ready. As I would head towards the kitchen she would come behind me and tell me what I should cook. And then once I get started she would double check if the paruppu is cooked right, if washed the veggies and so on. This used to amuse my late fil so much he would pull a chair into the kitchen to watch this. Infact my dh would also tease his mother "Why dont you just finish cooking?" for which she would say "Chitra is young so she needs me here!".. and so it went.
Maybe women are more prone to do this than men. But how would I know.. Why keep after someone once we have already assigned them some task? Could it be that they are afraid we are not good enough, or that we do not know how its to be done.. What do you think?

Originally Posted by anandchitra

I dont know how many people micromanage others or how many of you have ever once been micromanaged! Some people have such a tough time to delegate tasks.. and then they overwork and say theres too much to do.
One such lady works at my dh's office. She has lot of responsibilty and lot of work to do. Also to help her are 2 assistants. But the lady forever complains of too much of work to do and not enough time to do it. My dh suggests that she should delegate the work to her assistants. But she is not able to delegate all. Even if she does delegate, she goes behind them and continually micromanages each step. In this manner she actually aggravates everyone.
Its almost a mean thing to do actually. Once you give the work that needs to be done why go on about how its being done or whether its being done or continually annoy the person who's trying to do the work.
This does not have to happen in offices only. My late MIL was probably the best person I know who knew how to micromanage. Actually my mother is good at that too. Anyway my MIL would say one morning Iam too tired to cook so you make the lunch ready. As I would head towards the kitchen she would come behind me and tell me what I should cook. And then once I get started she would double check if the paruppu is cooked right, if washed the veggies and so on. This used to amuse my late fil so much he would pull a chair into the kitchen to watch this. Infact my dh would also tease his mother "Why dont you just finish cooking?" for which she would say "Chitra is young so she needs me here!".. and so it went.
Maybe women are more prone to do this than men. But how would I know.. Why keep after someone once we have already assigned them some task? Could it be that they are afraid we are not good enough, or that we do not know how its to be done.. What do you think?

dear chitra,
i call them the alamaram banyan tree nothing much grows beneath, these people grow to be so and die the way they are, even my mother even at this age 76 would be telling me how to go about things and me at 50+ will have to take it from her, the non confidence motion gets passed here, sunkan

Originally Posted by sunkan

dear chitra,
i call them the alamaram banyan tree nothing much grows beneath, these people grow to be so and die the way they are, even my mother even at this age 76 would be telling me how to go about things and me at 50+ will have to take it from her, the non confidence motion gets passed here, sunkan

Dear Sundari
I never knew even at any age this continues.. there doesnt seem to be much breathing space is there? Why do they do that though..

Originally Posted by anandchitra

Dear Sundari
I never knew even at any age this continues.. there doesnt seem to be much breathing space is there? Why do they do that though..

that is an inborn traight nothing to think about other's incapabilities it is just that they have to be there, they think they want to guide but actually are a nuisance...sk

Dear AC,
Some times it is the other way round too! They would delegate responsibility and then keep finding fault once the work is completed. That would make the person who had been delegated the work feel miserable!
Regards,
Malathi

Dear Chitra,

Yes there are such persons around.

I delegate work to my staff, and sit quiet the whole day.I make out a list and give to one of the boys written on a piece of paper, the oudoor work that has to be done, in the order.Bank work, paying bills, etc, and all gets done.If he gets stuck, he gives me a call, a missed call, and I call him up and speak to the person concerned.I hardlyu go to the bank once a year.

You have to be clear on what work need to be done.Dont expect too much, that the boy will use his head.I give the directions and he does it.Simple.

Life will be easier if we learnt to delegate, and I have learnt that.Regards.kamal

Dear AC,

Another lovely topic.Yes we come across such people everyday.
Although I feel that man management itself requires a lot of skill. Sometimes I guess its the attitude which makes you behave in a particular way.For eg if a person is a perfectionist , has somekind of a obsessive syndrome with his /her work then they tend to behave the same way as the lady in your husbands office.
Also there are those that are so laid back that they just plainly dump their work on the next available person and then abandon both the work and the person.Never bother to check whats happening on that front.

So balancing it well, diplomatically getting the work done without being overbearing is the need of the hour I guess.The right man management skill!

You have once again written it with the right dosage of thought provoking topic with a lovely dose of humour.

Love,
Devika

Devika For perfectonist people like you say its difficult to stay back and watch... and wait till everything is done!
And there are also the laid back ... Somehow I have seen this trait more with women than men!

Originally Posted by Malathijagan

Dear AC,
Some times it is the other way round too! They would delegate responsibility and then keep finding fault once the work is completed. That would make the person who had been delegated the work feel miserable!
Regards,
Malathi

Dear Malathi
You have a very valid point here.. And this is just because its their nature! To find fault! Again reminded of both set of mothers...

Originally Posted by Kamalji

Dear Chitra,

Yes there are such persons around.

I delegate work to my staff, and sit quiet the whole day.I make out a list and give to one of the boys written on a piece of paper, the oudoor work that has to be done, in the order.Bank work, paying bills, etc, and all gets done.If he gets stuck, he gives me a call, a missed call, and I call him up and speak to the person concerned.I hardlyu go to the bank once a year.

You have to be clear on what work need to be done.Dont expect too much, that the boy will use his head.I give the directions and he does it.Simple.

Life will be easier if we learnt to delegate, and I have learnt that.Regards.kamal

Bhayya
can i quote in the book i am writing ??? just kidding.. you said it right.But thats with respective to that particular person and situaition
How about in an office environment? All have got certain capability and they are expected to do the job ? Without delegating its not possible to do all work!