Working for (or with) someone who scrutinizes everything you do and demands that you run it past them for approval can push anyone to the brink. But don’t despair.
I’m the author of “Managing Up: How to Get What You Need From the People in Charge,” a human behavior professor, and an executive coach who’s spent the last 15 years coaching leaders at Google, Amazon, and other Fortune 500 companies.
I’ve seen firsthand how difficult it can be for people to navigate the challenges of working with a control freak. I teach them some simple strategies to make the situation work in their favor — without leaving them exhausted and frustrated every day.
If you also work for a controlling and impatient taskmaster, try these five steps:
Rather than toiling away for days — or weeks — to craft the perfect deliverable, do a first pass and say, “Here’s what I’ve put together so far. It’s a bit rough around the edges, but I wanted to capture the core ideas and structure so we can shape it into something outstanding.”
