50

Is Your Boss a Control Freak, or a Freak out of Control?

Sometimes it’s hard to tell. But pity the micromanagers of the world. Like bullies, they too are deeply troubled and try to hide their embarrassing little secret. What’s theirs? Usually a severe case of insecurity, which many conceal successfully. But they’re an unhappy lot and continually check on you because they’re scared that they’re going to fail. Micromanagers inspect your every move with a magnifying glass and take out their trepidations on you. They’re in a constant state of panic that you’ll forget something or do it the wrong way, and it will reflect on them. The safer you make them feel about themselves and everyone else who reports to them, the better it is for you.

If it’s ...

Get How to Talk to Anyone at Work: 72 Little Tricks for Big Success in Business Relationships now with the O’Reilly learning platform.

O’Reilly members experience books, live events, courses curated by job role, and more from O’Reilly and nearly 200 top publishers.