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CEO’s Post On Micromanaging Goes Viral And Many Agree How Toxic For Any Company Micromanaging Truly Is
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CEO’s Post On Micromanaging Goes Viral And Many Agree How Toxic For Any Company Micromanaging Truly Is

Boss Pens Refreshing Post About The Importance Of His Employees Having Lives Outside Of WorkCEO Rails Against The 'Always Connected' Culture Of Modern Workplaces And Urges Employees Not To Apologize For 'Having Lives'CEO Explains How Toxic Micromanaging Is, Urges People To Stand Up To Their BossesThis Boss' CEO Explains How Toxic Micromanaging Is, Says Employees Should Never Apologize For Having A Life Outside Work'I Deeply Resent How We've Infantilized The Workplace:CEO Writes Honest Post Saying Micromanaging Is Bad But Not Everyone AgreesFacebook Post About Micromanagement Points Out That Constant Availability Has Become A Valued Skill And That's Not RightCEO Critiques Every Micromanaging Boss, Says People Shouldn't Feel Bad About Having LivesCEO's Post On Micromanaging Goes Viral And Many Agree How Toxic For Any Company Micromanaging Truly Is
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Perpetual connectivity has brought amazing benefits to our lives; we can catch up with friends and family anywhere in the world at the push of a button, access the entire sum of human knowledge at our fingertips or have a 3-course meal delivered directly to our doors if we so choose.

But there are downsides too. The fact that we can find and reconnect with our first crush at high school means that your boss can certainly find you too, and escaping from the daily responsibilities of work is getting harder and harder. More of us are foregoing a healthy work/life balance as that small favor you once did has quickly become a general expectation, and our physical and mental health is suffering for it. But what can be done?

Enter Ian Sohn, president of creative tech agency Wunderman Chicago. Ian believes in trust and respect for the space of his employees, emphasizing that they should never need to “apologize for having lives.” He wrote an emotive open letter on Linkedin recently which has since gone viral for its honest and supportive tone, eschewing the increasingly common culture of micromanaging in the workplace.

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Ian often addresses his thoughts and professional concerns in words, and this particular issue has been on his mind for some time. “At any given time I’ve got a bunch of topics rattling around in my head. Some are personal, some professional, many a combination,” he told Bored Panda. ”

Usually some spark — a conversation or article I’ve read — will remind me of one of those topics and I’ll very quickly try to capture, in words, my thoughts. In this particular case, it was a stew of factors including a particularly hectic time at work for myself, a conversation with someone who works for me and quite honestly a palpable anxiety in the world about how to manage all the moving parts of our lives.”

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Image credits: Ian Sohn

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“Why do I think it has resonated with so many people? It’s a universal topic. Finding balance is as relevant to me as it is to you as it is to everyone who has a life and a job.”

“It also seems — based on the thousands of messages I’ve received in the last week — that people appreciate someone in a leadership role speaking like a human rather than a robot. I’ve been told the message was important, but so was the tone.”

Most comments were supportive of Ian’s view

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But others believe that things are not quite so simple

What do you think? Do you consider yourself to have a good work/life balance? If not, how could it be improved? Are Ian’s words a good example of leadership? Let us know in the comments below!

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Ilona Baliūnaitė

Ilona Baliūnaitė

Author, BoredPanda staff

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I'm a Visual Editor at Bored Panda since 2017. I've searched through a multitude of images to create over 2000 diverse posts on a wide range of topics. I love memes, funny, and cute stuff, but I'm also into social issues topics. Despite my background in communication, my heart belongs to visual media, especially photography. When I'm not at my desk, you're likely to find me in the streets with my camera, checking out cool exhibitions, watching a movie at the cinema or just chilling with a coffee in a cozy place

Read less »
Ilona Baliūnaitė

Ilona Baliūnaitė

Author, BoredPanda staff

I'm a Visual Editor at Bored Panda since 2017. I've searched through a multitude of images to create over 2000 diverse posts on a wide range of topics. I love memes, funny, and cute stuff, but I'm also into social issues topics. Despite my background in communication, my heart belongs to visual media, especially photography. When I'm not at my desk, you're likely to find me in the streets with my camera, checking out cool exhibitions, watching a movie at the cinema or just chilling with a coffee in a cozy place

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Stevie B
Community Member
5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The only one I really question is the coming in late/leaving early one. That might work for some office settings, but in many places that would not. While it might not need to be said that it is for your kid's soccer game, at minimum a "hey, I have to leave early on Thursday" is usually required.

Natasha Charbonneau
Community Member
5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I love this post so much. I left my last job because our time was constantly micromanaged. We have to tell our boss when we went on lunch, used the bathroom and I had to ask permission to leave work when I was done my 8 hours.

Leo Domitrix
Community Member
5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This is not new, alas. About 25 years ago (yeesh) my hubby was fired for not requesting permission for an EMERGENCY APPENDECTOMY. Hello? How do you schedule an emergency ahead of time?! ANother boss called him knwoing he was out of the country on vacation and expected him to return.. to do one thing. ONE thing... But don't kid yourselves. Clients are as awful as bosses. "Why didn't you answer my e-mail at 3 AM?"... Uh, I was asleep! Duh! ... Basically, we need courtesy and sense to be COMMON again. IMHO, of course.

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Stevie B
Community Member
5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The only one I really question is the coming in late/leaving early one. That might work for some office settings, but in many places that would not. While it might not need to be said that it is for your kid's soccer game, at minimum a "hey, I have to leave early on Thursday" is usually required.

Natasha Charbonneau
Community Member
5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I love this post so much. I left my last job because our time was constantly micromanaged. We have to tell our boss when we went on lunch, used the bathroom and I had to ask permission to leave work when I was done my 8 hours.

Leo Domitrix
Community Member
5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This is not new, alas. About 25 years ago (yeesh) my hubby was fired for not requesting permission for an EMERGENCY APPENDECTOMY. Hello? How do you schedule an emergency ahead of time?! ANother boss called him knwoing he was out of the country on vacation and expected him to return.. to do one thing. ONE thing... But don't kid yourselves. Clients are as awful as bosses. "Why didn't you answer my e-mail at 3 AM?"... Uh, I was asleep! Duh! ... Basically, we need courtesy and sense to be COMMON again. IMHO, of course.

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