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King
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| Location: | NYC, New York USA |
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Posted: Thu Sep 18th, 2008 08:08 pm |
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| What do you do when your boss micro-manages?
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i tect
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| Joined: | Tue Oct 30th, 2007 |
| Location: | Just Outside The Lines. |
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Posted: Thu Sep 18th, 2008 08:22 pm |
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| Is your boss the kinda guy/ gal that will listen? If not then look to the horizon and set sail.
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brudgers
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Posted: Thu Sep 18th, 2008 08:24 pm |
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King wrote: What do you do when your boss micro-manages?
An architect who micro manages?
There's a rarity.
Seriously, when your ass is on the line the details matter.
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jmcarr
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| Joined: | Mon Jan 10th, 2005 |
| Location: | Architect, NCARB, Charlotte, North Carolina USA |
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Posted: Thu Sep 18th, 2008 08:27 pm |
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Generally, I think micro-managing is a reflection on a worrisome boss, not an incompetent staff member. The micro-manager is afraid of losing control over the project. And, sometimes there is good reason to worry over losing control. For example, if time is critical, the manager could fear that a loss of control during design will cause residual work during construction.
If you want to remain on good terms with your manager, try reassuring him/her that you seek to perform the work under their close supervision. It's a weird dichotomy, but if you ask your manager for supervision, you develop trust. As trust is established, your manager will be less inclined to peer over your shoulder. Just like employees, managers like it when staff members ask their opinions, keep them informed, and, in general, maintain a transparent relationship.
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King
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| Location: | NYC, New York USA |
| Posts: | 643 |
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Posted: Thu Sep 18th, 2008 08:31 pm |
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brudgers wrote: An architect who micro manages?
There's a rarity.
Seriously, when your ass is on the line the details matter.
brudgers, sounds like u are the micro manage type...
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___Key
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| Joined: | Wed Jul 18th, 2007 |
| Location: | Central Valley |
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Posted: Sat Sep 20th, 2008 05:05 am |
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Brudgers - Appreciate the sarcasm in the first two lines, but seriously:
Hire/know the people in your office who can get the work done without being told how to do it. Let them do the work, then check it. Even if they don't know how to get the work done give them an outline of the final goal and let them come up with a solution, then critique it. I think you'll find they learn pretty fast - especially if you explain your reasoning.
To say, "when your ass is on the line details matter" is a bulls**t statement. Of course it is, it always is. Not encouraging people to be free-thinkers - is that a smart business strategy?
To answer the question: I usually took about an hour-long coffee break in the building next door to diffuse my anger. Eventually I quit and moved on.
Last edited on Sat Sep 20th, 2008 05:25 am by ___Key
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___Key
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Posted: Sat Sep 20th, 2008 05:20 am |
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Last edited on Sat Sep 20th, 2008 05:20 am by ___Key
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___Key
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Posted: Sat Sep 20th, 2008 05:24 am |
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jmcarr wrote: Generally, I think micro-managing is a reflection on a worrisome boss, not an incompetent staff member. The micro-manager is afraid of losing control over the project. And, sometimes there is good reason to worry over losing control. For example, if time is critical, the manager could fear that a loss of control during design will cause residual work during construction.
If you want to remain on good terms with your manager, try reassuring him/her that you seek to perform the work under their close supervision. It's a weird dichotomy, but if you ask your manager for supervision, you develop trust. As trust is established, your manager will be less inclined to peer over your shoulder. Just like employees, managers like it when staff members ask their opinions, keep them informed, and, in general, maintain a transparent relationship.
The theory is correct, but managers should know the capabilities of their people - that's their job - that's really their main job. If their people can competently handle the work and still a manager steps in to tell them how to do it - that's bad.
Trust will help, as you say, but it only makes the micro-management more bitter to swallow when it does happen, and it will. It's an incurable disease.
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brudgers
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| Joined: | Thu Jun 1st, 2006 |
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Posted: Sat Sep 20th, 2008 02:03 pm |
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___Key wrote: Brudgers - Appreciate the sarcasm in the first two lines, but seriously:
Hire/know the people in your office who can get the work done without being told how to do it. Let them do the work, then check it. Even if they don't know how to get the work done give them an outline of the final goal and let them come up with a solution, then critique it. I think you'll find they learn pretty fast - especially if you explain your reasoning.
To say, "when your ass is on the line details matter" is a bulls**t statement. Of course it is, it always is. Not encouraging people to be free-thinkers - is that a smart business strategy?
To answer the question: I usually took about an hour-long coffee break in the building next door to diffuse my anger. Eventually I quit and moved on.
In this business, if you want to be in charge and make the decisions get a license and start your own firm.
There are exceptions, but that's the general scheme.
Good architects worry about the details, even missmatched pushpins on a pinup.
Within a studio, all the territory belongs to the architect.
It has to. Their name is on it.
Good architectural managers accept this and strive mitigate its negative affects.
One way is be acknowleging that this is the case. You can go a long way with:
"I see you have put a lot of effort and thought into this, but we're going to do it another way because x, y, and z, and I know it sucks."
Forget about how to deal with micro managers, learn how to be a good manager. They're less common in architecture than they should be.
Last edited on Sat Sep 20th, 2008 02:05 pm by brudgers
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Mav
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Posted: Sun Sep 21st, 2008 10:05 pm |
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| I had a boss who even asked me where I went during the lunch time and why it took 40 mins. I left. There are too many insane people in this industry. Last edited on Sun Sep 21st, 2008 10:10 pm by Mav
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skyhook
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| Joined: | Sat Mar 15th, 2008 |
| Location: | CA |
| Posts: | 351 |
| Exams Taken: | PD, GS, LF, ME, BD/MM, CD, SP, BP, BT | | Exams Passed: | PD, GS, ME, BD/MM, CD, SP, BP | | Describes Me: | support where beam or wall not available |
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Posted: Sun Sep 21st, 2008 11:49 pm |
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I agree with Brudgers, starting your own firm is a position to consider. Appreciating anothers ars on the line, is the first step. The second step is deciding if you are in the right environment to grow. If not, you don't have to watch the credits, to know the movie is over.
Architectural management is akin to restaurant management (whose best managers are in the matrix of every aspect of the best eateries) ,...the product can look good on the surface but it is in the building and the eating where brands are defined. It is far easier to personally draft a set of plans to get familiar, than it is to redline or quality control. And oh , by the way, when things go real bad, they don't call the staff on the carpet.
I assess differing risk to each staff member, and some are micro managed. Sometimes it simply has to do with a critical path i have in mind, and nothing at all with individual performance. Sometimes it is staying ahead of the curve, so as to avoid unnecessary back tracking.
Last edited on Sun Sep 21st, 2008 11:50 pm by skyhook
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Nico Ann
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| Joined: | Fri Jan 18th, 2008 |
| Location: | Tempe, Arizona USA |
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Posted: Mon Sep 22nd, 2008 03:05 am |
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| This is unforntunately an industry where architects are typically bred with large egos and perfectionist attitudes and hate losing control over their work. It's not only the liability, but also wanting control over the image of the work that gets attached to their name. Most architects are taught to live up to a standard of quality and it can be tough to delegate the work to others and expect them to live up to your high standards. I know I am often the same way and I know other architects who have this problem too. It is hard for me to give up control and trust my employees to do the work to my standards, but I also know that if I spend all my time looking over their shoulders then I won't get anything done. So, I've managed over time to just let it go and let them do their job. I'm not sure what to do about an employer with this problem though. I'm not sure what your relationship is like, but if you feel like you could talk to them about it, then you should. Tell them that micromanaging is counterproductive for both of you and that you will be able to increase your production if they would cut it out. First, make sure your quality of work is good enough that our aren't giving them reasons to micromanage. I had one employee where I was regularly checking up on their work, because thier work quality was rarely sufficient without micromanaging. If you feel that you may be one of these people, you may want to ask your employer what you could be doing better.
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RQ8
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| Joined: | Mon Jun 16th, 2008 |
| Location: | Long Beach, CA |
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Posted: Sun Sep 28th, 2008 07:56 am |
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jmcarr wrote: Generally, I think micro-managing is a reflection on a worrisome boss, not an incompetent staff member. The micro-manager is afraid of losing control over the project. And, sometimes there is good reason to worry over losing control. For example, if time is critical, the manager could fear that a loss of control during design will cause residual work during construction.
If you want to remain on good terms with your manager, try reassuring him/her that you seek to perform the work under their close supervision. It's a weird dichotomy, but if you ask your manager for supervision, you develop trust. As trust is established, your manager will be less inclined to peer over your shoulder. Just like employees, managers like it when staff members ask their opinions, keep them informed, and, in general, maintain a transparent relationship.
Agree 100%.
Also agree with brugers to an extent. Most architects I've dealt with have some amount of "control-freak-ness" to them. The degree varies from person to person, but we all have it. It's part of our nature and is reinforced by our training. If you're lucky enough to have a boss that lets you think/act independently most of the time (as I do), I just try to swallow hard and put up with the B.S. during those rare moments when they're in "nazi" mode.
Just do the best you can and don't screw up. Eventually most people will respect you for that and back off, lengthen your leash and let you do your own thing. But ultimately the only way to be TRULY free is to be your own boss, go into practice for yourself and do things your own way.
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skyhook
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| Joined: | Sat Mar 15th, 2008 |
| Location: | CA |
| Posts: | 351 |
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Posted: Sun Sep 28th, 2008 05:37 pm |
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| to be mentored is not to own. there is a season for everything.
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Alright
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| Joined: | Tue Feb 6th, 2007 |
| Location: | A R C H I T E C T !!!, Houston, Texas USA |
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Posted: Mon Sep 29th, 2008 04:17 am |
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Mav wrote: I had a boss who even asked me where I went during the lunch time and why it took 40 mins. I left. There are too many insane people in this industry.
lol. There really are a lot of hopeless curmudgeons in this profession. It's pretty pathetic how much managers worry and work OT only to earn like 50-60K a year. I'm not talking about those who stamp drawings.
- Alright
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___Key
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Posted: Sun Oct 12th, 2008 03:32 am |
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Brudgers,
I am licensed, do my own design work, construction drawings, and stamp them. Oh, and I do manage employees. My own experience with micro-managers and current experience managing taught me to see both sides of the picture. Over-manage someone and they stop trying - that's bad for employee morale. But thanks for the advice.
Last edited on Sun Oct 12th, 2008 03:34 am by ___Key
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brudgers
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Posted: Sun Oct 12th, 2008 04:57 am |
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If you're sealing drawings I hope you're getting a slice of the pofits big enough to cover your long term liablilty, and I hope you have a written agreement that requires your firm to maintain tail coverage for you on those projects should you move one between now and repose.
Otherwise I'm glad to hear your career is going so well.
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