Control Freak

You know them, you've worked with them, you loathe them: micro-managers.

Today, I heard perhaps the best example of a micro-manager ever. A friend was addressing a room full of people. At one point she pointed to a long table behind her and invited everyone to help themselves. Her manager pulled her aside and said "Next time you point you need to use two fingers." He was completely serious. What the hell?!

I heard from a another friend that he once had a manager who asked him to contact building maintenance immediately because the toilets on another floor of the building had "much better water pressure than our toilets". Umm... ok. She later asked him to contact the buildings cleaning staff because "the paper towels are facing the wrong way. They're too hard to reach now". Seriously? Yup. These people really exist.

We have a micro-manager in our midst at work right now. We work with someone who thinks nothing of spending 3 hours discussing how a document should be laid out. The good news is that I've learned I don't enjoy talking about work, I prefer to actually do work. I can't stand talking and talking about assignments. I like to just dive in and check back with ya later.

I know it always comes down to self loathing and insecurities but why do those freaks have to drag us normals into it? Sheesh!