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Fighting Corporate Psychopaths

Using Aikido principles to survive hand-to-hand fights with corporate psychopaths

News Toxic managers Books High Demand Cults Leaders Practices Recommended Links Recommended Papers Insubordination Threat
Fighting Strategies Understanding micromanagers Documenting Micromanager Behavior Enemy at the Gate: Rules of communication with micromanager Rules of Verbal Self Defense Five Points Verbal Response Test Learned helplessness
The psychopath in the corner office Stoicism The Fiefdom Syndrome Surviving a Bad Performance Review Coping with the toxic stress Humor Etc

"I have nothing to offer but blood, toil, tears and sweat. . . . You ask, what is our policy? I say it is to wage war by land, sea, and air. War with all our might and with all the strength God has given us, and to wage war against a monstrous tyranny...

Winston Churchill

"A man who has nothing for which he is willing to fight; nothing he cares about more than his own personal safety is a miserable creature who has no chance of being free, unless made and kept so by exertions of better men than himself."

John Stuart Mill

"An appeaser is one who feeds a crocodile, hoping it will eat him last."

Winston Churchill

"Land of Oz" metaphor suggests that bad bosses fall into three groups: the boss with no brains; the boss with no courage; and the boss with no heart: the Scarecrow, the Cowardly Lion, and the Tin Man. But the older I get, the more aware I become of simple but nasty fact that a significant subset of management types fall in the category not covered in the "Land of Oz": micromanagers.

Those "M-word" individuals are one of the most frequent variety of corporate psychopaths. Because micromanagement is petty the level of danger of such individual is often underappreciated although in corporate environment they are as dangerous as bullies. Large percentage of PIMMs are females and they use their gender as a bullet proof vest to deflate any critique. The differences between them and criminals are pretty superficial -- both are people without any remorse and use "my way or highway" as the main guiding principle.

Micromanagement is perversion of management and it is important to understand that for some unknown reason it is more common among female managers then man. The litmus test of micromanagement is that normal, appropriate activities such as monitoring, reporting, and requiring approvals are exaggerated to the extent that they convert into its opposites. monitoring into pretty, detailed control of every action, reporting into requests for reports with frequency and detail that leave little time for anything else, etc. Every such measure is perverted and converted into its opposite. Any initiative not coming form PIMM is squashed...

When taken to extremes those normal organizational measures detract value, impede performance, and negatively impact process efficiency. Also in both monitoring and reporting one size does not fit all and level acceptable for highly structured environment and in environment populated with novices is unacceptable when working with seasoned IT professionals. That means that what is micromanagement in one area can be reasonable management in another and vise versa.

Micromanagers are generally are characterized as people with weakened self-esteem, injured narcissism and paranoid tendencies. They are preoccupied with power.

Note 1: Paranoid incompetent micromanagers (PIMM), who successfully combine tight control of minute details/procedures used in performing assignments with toxic incompetence are often called "control freaks" (CF). This category of corporate psychopaths represents really nasty beasts of IT jungles who tend to completely paralyze their victims. They are completely different from PHB on Dilbert cartoons and in many way are close to narcissistic managers.

In this set of pages that include

we will mainly address this menace.

Note 2: Good advice about the topic is difficult to come by and depends on your concrete situation: take any recommendations with a grain of salt.

It really dangerous for you mental and physical health to work for PIMM for prolonged period of time. Remember classic survival rule of three.

The Rule of Three states:

  1. Humans cannot survive more than three hours exposed to extreme low-temperature.
  2. Humans cannot survive more than three days without water.
  3. Humans cannot survive more than three weeks without food.

You can expand this rule of three to the working with a PIMM. After certain time period, like with in case of solders in the front lines posttraumatic stress syndrome can hit you and affect you long after you left this particular place; moreover chronic stress destroys most humans really fast.

Still to preserve your dignity you need to fight it. Like any fighting, fighting micromanagers involves two levels: strategic and tactical.

Rules of fighting corporate psychopaths

The psychopaths are always around.

"It is a characteristic of all movements and crusades that the psychopathic element rises to the top"


Robert Lindner

Up-the-hill battle is the most difficult type of battle. The enemy commands heights. some losses are inevitable, a well-though out strategy can minimize them. There are three simple rules that might (or might not) help:

  1. Like in any war your survival is not guaranteed. All discussions of strategy and tactic are good and useful but only to a certain extent and as a temporary measure. The best solution is transfer or finding another job. First of all everybody consider ourselves Carl von Clausewitz type of strategist when observing the fight from a distance, but very few of us can stage a good fight. It's one thing to read all those thoughtful or stupid recommendations and the other fight those exhausting day-to-day-battles with a control freak. And like in any war this is not only front line battle. As in any battle open confrontation is just a side story. The main battle is actually about supply lines. The strength on your network is as important as your communications skills and ability to withstand direct pressure, threat and outbursts (front-line skills).
  2. Rages should be expected and deal with calmly. According to Professor Hare "Corporate psychopaths tend to be manipulative, arrogant, callous, impatient, impulsive, unreliable and prone to fly into rages". If you are unprepared then the pain and suffering are amplified. Some of victims would succumb to heart attacks, alcoholism or even or commit suicide, he said.
  3. They are really different and cannot be measured by the same standard as ordinary people. They are more like professional actors then real humans: everything is fake and imitated. Psychopaths succeed in conventional society in large measure because few of us grasp that they are fundamentally different from ourselves. They are more like professional actors then real humans: never forget about that.

    We assume that they, too, care about other people's feelings. This makes it easier for them to "play" us. Although they lack empathy, they develop a professional actor's expertise in evoking ours. While they don't care about us, "they have an element of emotional intelligence, of being able to see our emotions more or less clearly and manipulate them," says Michael Maccoby, a psychotherapist who has consulted for major corporations. Don't fall into this trap. Ignore attempts to invoke pity, sympathy or similar emotions. This is all a game.

  4. Your social skills = your combat skills. Start improving them immediate and put as much money on this activity as necessary. Never overestimate your own social skills and underestimate social skills of PIMM. Social skills, especially communication skills, are the weapons on the battle field and they by-and-large predetermine that the results of your confrontations with PIMM. You better be prepared. That means that you need start immediately and continue relentlessly train yourself and strive for improving your communication skills dramatically.

    Such terms as "negative politeness", "emotional distance", "defection", "self-control" should became well known and fully understood ASAP. Study literature about OCD and paranoia. Most micromanagers suffer both from OCD and paranoia. You need to understand those two pretty well to preserve your emotional health. The danger to it is very real. BTW alcoholism and drug addiction are also closely related to OCD.

  5. Paranoia is such a prominent trait of most micromanagers that studying literature about the topic immensely helps to understand PIMM behavior and by extension enhances your ability to fight them. For example personal attacks and attempts to humiliate others are often used by PIMM as an attempt to alleviate personal anxiety by conquering, defeating and dominating others. An excessive need to control one's surroundings is the cornerstone of paranoiac personality.
  6. Your social network is actually your only open supply lines: without strong social network you soon be without weapons and ammunition. Just desire to fight is not enough. You cannot stop tanks with bare hands.
  7. Get out as soon as possible but not sooner. If you like you job and the current salary, then finding another position might as painful as a divorce but unless you are sure that you can outlast PIMM leaving might be better then staying. Be careful to differentiate between what is a real oasis of opportunity and a mirage in a desert.

    Possibility of long unemployment stretch as well as running out of money, compounded by the continued discomfort of not knowing when you get a new job makes "emotionally dictated exit" really stupid. Please be aware that in such a situation any other job opportunity looks nicer that it really is. That might result in jumping into a position that is some respects can be worse then your current situation.

Female micromanager are more difficult case then make micromanagers

It is important to know that micromanagers are often females and that the majority of victims are also females. Female micromanager are more "kitty-catty" and usually are more dangerous opponent then male micromanagers. In this case "affirmative action" became a really nasty, perverted joke (you can be sure that they will be among active member of any "Female employees career mentioning" or "minorities empowerment" initiative).

Female micromanagers often hardest on their own sex

In case you are male be assured that will use their gender as a bulletproof west. In case you are a female they will definitely try to appeal to female solidarity, complain about nasty male-oriented culture of the company, "glass ceiling" and/or exploit common for females problems.

In Lovefraud Blog post When women are sociopaths-psychopaths the author aptly noted:

There is actually very little research data available regarding sociopathy in non-criminals and in women. The little research that has been done reveals that sociopathy in women entails two or three main features that are similar to those found in men. Namely, female sociopaths lack empathy and enjoy manipulating and exploiting others. Violent and impulsive behavior is less common in sociopathic women. This fact may make them more dangerous, as they more easily blend in with the rest of society.

The key traits of sociopathic females

A recent study of adolescent girls in detention performed by Crystal L. Schrum, M.A. and Randall T. Salekin, Ph.D. of the University of Alabama and reported in Behavioral Sciences and the Law, revealed the core qualities that best described young female sociopaths. The teens were callous and lacked empathy, had a grandiose sense of self worth and were conning and manipulative. They were also likely to engage in impersonal sexual relationships. Importantly, the researchers revealed that female sociopaths did not necessarily have "shallow emotions." Again the lack of impulsivity and shallow emotions may make a female sociopath more difficult to spot.

... ... ...

The case of Michelle Drake also illustrates something else about female sociopaths. The courts are more likely to go easy on them. This attitude of the courts may reflect the fact that many people excuse the behavior of female sociopaths and feel sorry for them. Look at the cases of women in the news lately. We don't know if the women involved are sociopaths, however, these cases do illustrate the double standard that exists in how we judge female as opposed to male antisocial behavior. Several women teachers have been found guilty of sexually exploiting students. They were treated very leniently for the same crimes that would have put a man in jail for many years.

As Scott Berkun aptly noted:

The best advice for having a bad manager is to seek other employment. Don't undervalue your happiness: it's impossible to be happy if you work directly for someone you can't stand. It may be difficult to find another job, but if you are willing to make compromises in other areas (salary, position, project, location, etc.) it will certainly be possible. Being happy and underpaid is a much better way to spend a life than unhappy and anything else.

Making life changes, even progressive beneficial ones, is difficult and leaving a bad manager might require weeks or months of less than pleasant living. However, on the other side of any decision to leave is something you can't get where you currently are: the possibility of a good manager, and the sanity that it will bring you. The "never quit, tough it out" attitude is a mistake if you are in a situation that can never result in your satisfaction. I think the act of finding a new job, or even quitting before you've found one, can be a way to take more control. It puts you back at center of your life, where you belong. There are risks involved, but it puts you, and not your manager or company, at the center of them.

But for the sake of this essay I'll assume that you are either unwilling or unable to leave. Maybe you're looking for something new and have to endure a bad manager until you've found it, or perhaps your family is heavily dependent on you and your options are limited. That's fine. Just remember to re-read the first paragraph every month or so to make sure you're considering all your choices, and not hiding behind the deceptive safety of a merely acceptable job, when what you need is something more.

Trimming down your expectations

Don't trust, don't be afraid, don't ask for any favors (In Russian: Не верь, не бойся, не проси)

GULAG survival principle

It is very important to trim down your expectations. Expect as a minimum the following:

This page is written as a self-help material for those who need to buy some time or are unwilling or incapable to leave for some other reason. Do not take your situation lightly. This is a war with hand combat in the trenches involved so unless you are well prepared on the level of Green Berets which should become your role model if you want to stay (training is everything here) you might be suffering post traumatic stress syndrome like many solders who went to the from line: chronic stress destroys most humans really fast.

Some more of less plausible fighting strategies

"The main lesson I have learnt is that when dealing with a sociopath, the normal rules of etiquette do not apply. You are dealing with someone who has no empathy, no conscience, no remorse, and no guilt... It is a completely different mindset. Words like 'predator' and 'evil' are often used."

-- Field

I complied this list mainly as self-help instrument. In no way it is complete or scientific. You are warned.

  1. Stoicism as a philosophy can be of great help. See Stoicism.

    We learn from Marcus Aurelius the importance of prizing only things of true value, and from Epictetus we learn how to be more content with what we have.

    Finally, A Guide to the Good Life shows readers how to become thoughtful observers of their own life. If we watch ourselves as we go about our daily business and later reflect on what we saw, we can better identify the sources of distress and eventually avoid that pain in our life. By doing this, the Stoics thought, we can hope to attain a truly joyful life.

    David B Richman (Mesilla Park, NM USA)
    The Best Introduction to an Ancient Philosophy, December 23, 2008 See all my reviews

    A Guide to the Good Life: The Ancient Art of Stoic Joy (Hardcover)

    I first read Marcus Aurelius' "Meditations" while flying to the eastern United States for a scientific meeting. It was during a rather difficult period in my life and I had picked up on "Meditations" because of a mention of this work by Edwin Way Teale in "Near Horizons" as a book he turned to in times of trouble.

    I was not disappointed by these insightful notes written for his own use nearly 2000 years ago by the Roman Emperor and Stoic philosopher. It was thus that I was primed to read William B. Irvine's "A Guide to the Good Life: The Ancient Art of Stoic Joy." This is one of those books that can be really life changing, if the reader is ready for it.

    Irvine briefly discusses the history of Stoic philosophy and its relationship to other philosophies in ancient Greece and Rome. He concentrates most of the book, however, on the Stoics of the Roman Empire, namely Seneca, Gaius Musonius Rufus, Epictetus and of course, Marcus Aurelius. After his historical review Irvine spends some time on the practical aspects of Stoicism, including

    • negative visualization (visualizing how your life could be worse),
    • dichotomy of control (what we can and cannot control),
    • fatalism (about the past and present, not the future),
    • self-denial (putting off pleasure so as to appreciate it more when you have it),
    • duty (what we owe to others),
    • social relations (how we relate to others),
    • insults (how to react to them),
    • grief (how to deal with loss),
    • anger (how to turn it to humor),
    • personal values (how to deal with fame and fortune, or the lack thereof),
    • old age (how to deal with the aging process),
    • and dying (how to prepare for this certainty).

    The last part of the book is devoted to the practice of Stoicism in the modern world, with both its pluses and minuses.

    Although I would have to practice a modified Stoicism (I doubt that most of us would like to sleep even occasionally on a board or give up sex except for procreation), there is much of Stoicism that we can use in the modern world.

    Unlike the Cynics who slept on boards all the time and generally followed ascetic practices, Stoics wanted to enjoy life and followed something akin to the Middle Way of Buddhism. This attitude could certainly be of use to counter the worst of this "me first" society of rampant consumerism. In truth you really cannot take it with you when you die and to act like you can is the height of folly.

    This book is a fascinating exposition of Stoic philosophy and its possible uses in the present day. The current economic collapse and other disasters of modern living could be a fertile ground for a revival of Stoic ideas. I also recommend it as a refreshing antidote for the hectic modern world in general. Take what is useful, and leave the rest, but read it if you would live deliberately and thus be free!

  2. Beware of Stockholm syndrome. Victims of especially severe abuse often "identify with the abuser" in order to survive. This means she will actually begin to agree with the criticisms and perspectives of the abuser while her own personality, opinions, and views fade to the background. This is a serious set of psychological events called the "Stockholm Syndrome." When an abuser/controller shows the victim some small kindness, even though it is to the abusers benefit as well, the victim interprets that small kindness as a positive trait of the captor. In criminal/war hostage situations, letting the victim live is often enough. Small behaviors, such as allowing a bathroom visit or providing food/water, are enough to strengthen the Stockholm Syndrome in criminal hostage events. Your situation is not the different from a criminal hostage situation and as such you are susceptible to Stockholm Syndrome. In relationships with abusers, a birthday card, a gift (usually provided after a period of abuse), or a special treat are interpreted as not only positive, but evidence that the abuser is not "all bad" and may at some time correct his/her behavior. Abusers and controllers are often given positive credit for not abusing their partner, when the target would have normally been subjected to verbal or physical abuse in a certain situation. After seeing the wave, the victim expects to be abused again and when it doesn't happen, that "small kindness" is interpreted as a positive sign.
  3. Know with whom you are dealing with. That sounds easy but in reality it is very difficult. Psychopaths are completely different from us. The are aliens in the most exact meaning of this word. Still your best defense is to understand the true nature of those office predators, beasts without any sense of remorse for their actions:
  4. Know yourself. Psychopathic PIMMs are skilled at detecting and exploiting weak spots, finding the right buttons to press. In short PIMM is a predator. Only real feelings they seem to have - the thing that drives them and causes them to act out different dramas for effect - is a sort of "predatorial hunger" for what they want. They are good players in corporate poker and are adept in unleashing especially nasty complain or demands just before your annual performance review. They also can use flattery to "soften" you before or after attack. While not all micromanagers are created equal and in this chess party is it prudent to assume that they are skilled players who can exploit human weaknesses and have vast experience in doing so.
  5. A paper trail is the most powerful weapon against micromanagers. One of the best lines of "defense" is your diligence in clarifying the progress you made and keeping a paper trail of everything that you have done in a form of "progress reports" that micromanagers love so much. In true Aikido style make this weapon against you act as the weapon against micromanager.
  6. Every task should have a stated measurable goal, whether it's a report, a decision or a sale, and a process and those would be explicitly identified.

    Forget about doing the best work possible. Do assignments only on the acceptable level. Any success in your department strengthens PIMM position more then your position. If you need to program something really innovative to feel yourself comfortable consider contributing your efforts to open source project.

    In some cases it makes sense downgrade the system to industry standard level as keeping it on higher level might required additional efforts that are better spend on preparing "defensive paperwork' like progress reports.

  7. Try to put measurements in hours on any assignment to prevent abrupt changes
  8. Use "structured" slots like monthly progress reviews to put demands on the PIMM. Ask for copies of some documents, spreadsheets, presence on some of the meeting you chair, etc. But remember that all your requests should be constructive and they should be useful for your work.
  9. Consider dealing with micromanager to be a battle test for your communication skills. Relentlessly work on improving them from the day one. You can need all you have and more. If by change you are attacked by PIMM for having "poor communication skills" use this as a great opportunity: enroll in training as much as the company and your boss permits. Acquire all the necessary literature: this is money well spent. Talk with people you respect for their communication abilities, invite them for lunch and try to learn from them. I know that 's very difficult, but please try...

    If the manager have the second thought you can always accuse him/her is being not forthcoming in your development: after all it was him who pointed out on the fault. And this is a rather serious accusation that can help you to weaken the grip of micromanager.
  10. Beware of risks involved in using HR to intervene in a micromanagement problem. Micromanaging is not a problem for HR. But you can use HR to provide your documentation stating why you disagree with the end of the year assessment of your results by micromanager so that your objections can be entered into your performance record. When the time is truly right for HR to act, then you will have trail of historical information for abuse and mismanagement that will be difficult to deny. And it can be used both with inside and outside sources to take action.

    The same is true about upper management. Remember, micromanagers tend to hire micromanagers, so assess your boss's boss carefully before whistle blowing. See also Whistleblower Bill of Rights

  11. Try to deflect rather then counter attacks. Every micromanaged employee needs to know the main principle of aikido. That's a martial art where the key is to turn an opponents force back against him with clever footwork, leverage, and ducking. Micromanager is a paranoiac person which is driven by his/her own insecurities and he/she rushes blindly with tremendous force on direct opposition. Like shark feel smell of blood micromanager automatically attack any sign of resistance. So sometimes it make sense can try mimicry and "play dead" by pretending to give up : don't fight, don't push back, don't resist. That will only make the micromanager do it harder.

    Fake compliance while subtlety undermining or deflecting idiotic measures and start quietly pursue your own education (getting some sort of certification ASAP is the first such measure that you should consider) can improve the situation to the extent it become more bearable.

    In other words try to simulate compliance while diverting part of your energy from deal-end activities dictated by PIMM to some socially useful, self-esteem enhancing activities like giving free lectures, participating in some voluntarily organization that you value or writing/supporting open source software. But never lose your guard or reveal the changes of your strategy: do not change the frequency of meetings or communication with the boss (open avoidance is big mistake) and do not allow to be driven into measure that are illegal or can really harm the company: micromanagers can be pretty charming it they need to got get something. Paralysis is OK though: that's a fair price the company should pays for promoting a micromanager to its current position.
  12. Develop and protect your company support net. This is your safety net. Try to do free work for other departments if possible. Usually It environment is flexible enough to provide you an opportunity to help others at the expense of your department.
  13. If you decided to quit, right timing is everything.

Level two recommendations

An airline passenger observes abusive passenger who behaves like a high placed airline official seated in front of him and after a while asks the stewardess, "How can you take this kind of abuse?"

The woman said with a straight face "Mr. Smith is going to Los Angeles but his luggage is going to Nairobi."

  1. Beware of the "Fundamental Attribution Error" in interpretation of the actions of your boss. Most people have a tendency to overweight the role of what "kind" of person is on a person's actions, and underweight the social and environmental forces that influence the particular person Humans tend to attribute others motivation to much to character and inclination and too little to context. For instance, your boss might be distracted by troubles about which you know nothing. There might be dozens of scenarios like that.

    While most micromanagers have deep personality problems this factor should never be considered as a single one determining the behavior. Upper level management requests might be a factor as important or even more important and cruel and unusual behavior toward you can be just an attempt to meet requirements or follow directions from above. The corporation as a whole might be as sick as your boss. BTW over attribution is less likely, perhaps even inverted, when people explain their own behavior. See The Fundamental Attribution Error

    "Control Freak" label might well be a form of attributional error or "dispositional bias": the tendency to perceive other's motives or actions as indicating some inner motivational or personality trait that explains the (especially questionable) behavior, that is, sleazy, cheap�a "control freak." And of course, the face-saving inverse: we tend to personally attribute or rationalize our actions and outcomes (especially unfavorable ones) to external, mitigating and "out of our control" forces.

    Only careful documentation and "post factum" analysis of events can reveal real set of traits and dominant modes of attack of particular corporate psychopath.

  2. Do a little side project of your own using free time, for example some write or assume ownership on so open source software development project or help with documentation of the open source project you use, etc. There is a lot to learn in this world, and you probably have an Internet connection at your desk. If you sick and tied of programming write a novel about your expertise. who knows may be you are closet Leo Tolstoy and can became rich this way. If you do something productive in your free time, you will be less vulnerable to attacks on your self-esteem and you will not sweet the small staff like in a typical situations when boss by changing direction destroys all or large part of your previous work or when he by over-controlling you make you less or zero productive.

  3. Beware of any attempt to talk "openly and honestly" with PIMM. It is highly unlikely that you are going to change your boss or restrain him/her. Remember the fairy tall about three little pigs. You are a little pig who goes to the open to negotiate with a wolf.

  4. Keep your private copies and CD-based backups of all valuable data including all progress reports as well as and paper copies of major emails that might be needed if you eventually decide to go to court or to arbitrage. That might take up some of your time but this is a necessary safety measure; you also will have less time to worry about yet another abrupt change of direction of the project or other work problem.

    The person being micromanaged must create documentation that quantifies work being done to provide detailed information later to refresh the memory of the micromanager. The quantified information should not be used to attack the micromanager using HT as a Trojan horse, but as a defense against unfair job evaluation only. HR is an instrument of management and will always be it.

  5. Try to attack their tendency of avoidance of the responsibility by providing "total feedback paper trail". That might slightly lessen their grip if you can exploit overload, although your mileage can vary:
  6. Fully exploit the fact that micromanager cherishes the constant flow of updates and reports. It leaves in artificial world of paperwork that has nothing to do with the reality. Use email to the fullest extent possible, but remain constructive.
    1. Never spare them of information that is relevant to the project you performs. Let them enjoy full information they so desperately want. The flow of emails often acts as sedative for many PIMM creating an illusion that they are in full control of the situation.
    2. This also serve in implicit goal to increase the load on PIMM so that s/he has less time to overcontol all you activities.
  7. Use calculated avoidance maneuver but remember that keeping a micromanager at a safe distance is extremely difficult and somewhat dangerous.
  8. Practice meetings Jujutsu
  9. You can try to get the status of a lackey, but a protected one. In this case try to be proactive without taking credit. Give ideas but don't push them. If the boss acts on your idea a month later and takes it as his or her own, be grateful. But few people can adapt to whatever the boss wants. This old-fashioned, 1950s "Company Man" view of the world is obsolete. Micromanagers are sometimes too much even for sycophants.
  10. When overwhelmed with anger and resentment try to remember, the essential need of a control freak is not to crush you but to defend himself against anxiety and insecurity. The latter usually it's a reflection of the manager's own shortcoming. Although it may not be apparent to you when they are making their demands, these individuals are usually fighting off a deep-seated sense of their own helplessness and impotence. By becoming proficient at trying to control other people, they are warding off their own fear of being out of control and helpless.
  11. Imitate some level forgiveness and professional calmness without lowing the level of your guard. You do no not need to be openly hostile while collecting stones: all information about their anger attacks and tantrums should be carefully recorded and maintained ready for HR but your demeanor and communication should always be strictly professional Remember that within most micromanagers there is a good measure of paranoia. They usually can read you very well and unless you masquerade this by calmness you might be unpleasantly surprised by preemptive actions micromanagers take if they became afraid of your retaliation. Believe me, they will be first to HR and better prepared then you might think...
  12. Beware micromanagers lackeys. One common micromanagers survival strategy is to surround themselves with staff members who mirror their personality and work style. Getting one of two patsies and communicating via them is a typical strategy. They defuse the responsibility to incompetent actions and also serve as informers.
  13. You can make it much less hurting psychologically if you consider your employment and your company to be "not a big deal". Just try to create your little private space. God sometimes test people. People survives in much harsher environment. In order to not feel degraded, humiliated and have your sense of self and self worth assaulted, you need to avoid taking this too seriously. This is, after all, "a small staff" and at the end doe not matter. If one useless corporation exploded in flames due to PIMM activity so be it. One stupid corporation less.

  14. Expect that PIMM lack any compassion. PIMM are usually offended by any suggestion that people under their span of control suffer under their petty dictating style. They consider them self "mentors" or invent some other rationalization. In reality most micromanagers tend to have a obsessive-compulsive personality and their over controlling tendency just reflect this abnormal personality. Most of them fear mistakes to the extent that fear paralyze them. They don't believe that work can be done without their constant intervention and not without a reason -- they are probably the most hated type of managers in this corner office in any organization. Not only people do not want to help them, most of their subordinates can go to a great length to cause them harm.

    Personal insecurity and obsessive-compulsive tendencies are usual driving forces behind PIMM petty behavior. This makes life unbearable for those around him. Again, PIMM will be very surprised (and even offended) when confronted with this frustrating reality. Very often the result of micromanagement is complete disintegration of the team. This creates vicious circle as this actually strengthens the perception of a micromanager, that "employees can't be trusted".

  15. Try to communicate objective information about PIMM real level of competence in companies IT surveys, if any. But beware that sometimes anonymity is not guaranteed...
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