Insomnia: November 2005

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Feeling the Micromanager's Pain; Customer Service Combats Competition

By Georgene Waterman

Question
I am a shift supervisor for a distributor of frozen-food products in Redding, Calif. I have been with the company for six years. As the company grew over the years, it needed to add more senior-level employees, and I was one of the first employees hired. I am responsible for a shift of 20 employees, all of whom drive refrigerated trucks throughout California to grocery stores and other markets distributing our frozen goods. Part of my responsibility is communicating to the various markets in written documents. Sometimes I send email but it is not unusual for me to have to write a letter, especially if there is some issue with one of the truckloads.
     The company has a vice president who is the owner's right-hand man. When I first arrived, the vice president, to whom I report, wanted to see all my written communication. I thought it was just a way for him to see how I was representing the company, but it has stayed the same for six years. He not only looks at my letters, he also changes most of the words. I feel this is inappropriate. It's not like he finds typos -- he just likes things said the way he would say them.
     He also micromanages some of the other things I am responsible for, such as the employee work schedule and the loading schedules. I am going nuts with this guy looking over my shoulder all the time. It wouldn't do any good talking to the owner because he always sides with the vice president. How can I get him to stop micromanaging everything I do?

Continued...

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