Recently, my boss has started interfering with my projects, limiting my creativity and it’s really affecting me. I constantly receive feedback like ‘do it this way, take this like that’ and it’s lowering my motivation. How do you think I can resolve this situation that I’m uncomfortable with at work?
It always annoys me when the boss does this.
Is he/she intervening enough to completely change the patron projects? Or is it just like guidance?
@kahvebitmeden gets really confusing for me conceptually. For example, it completely diverts a project I’ve started in a completely different direction. This overwhelms me.
@aklimkaldi well, this is the main rule of being a boss, you just touch it as it suits you. Your job is not to complain, but to filter what he says.
there might be others comparing themselves to you here. Maybe they want to outdo someone or something like that.
Have you tried speaking openly? Gently express that “my creativity is diminishing” and that it’s becoming so complicated.
Direct interventions like this in corporate communication generally harm business outcomes. To maintain your own motivation, I suggest providing feedback constructively. But both you and he/she need to clarify those authorities — sometimes, the boundaries of responsibilities are not defined, which can lead to issues.
@hatconene The part about intervening as it suits you is kind of ridiculous. If you squeeze the employee too much, they either get discouraged or just quit right away.
Sometimes clients get into the “I know everything” mode, whereas it’s you who’s on the ground. Does it hit them that they risk ruining everything after a couple of silly decisions? Or do they cling even more to the projects? This needs to be tested.
Trying out that test is risky but depends on the boss. Some people insist on their mistakes, mistaking a warning for an opportunity. If someone has experienced it in the office before, take a look at that issue. Maybe there are similar examples.
Has there been such a friction with your boss before? If you’ve gone down the path they suggested before and achieved good results, they might trust their interventions. Otherwise, if they keep messing things up, they need to sit down with you and resolve the “why are they doing this” part.
Can you foresee the response your boss will have when you say something like “I’m losing my creativity”? Because some people will interpret it as “I guess more guidance is needed,” and will increase the level of intervention. What people refer to as “delicate expression” isn’t always as effective as it seems; you also need the intelligence to perceive that delicacy.
It can be problematic to act without understanding the patron’s overall attitude. For example, does he have a detailed interest in the issues he’s intervening in? Or is it just a case of control freakiness? I think the approach would change based on that.
How well your boss understands the details of the work is an important point, but also pay attention to how they view your skills. Do they see you as someone who needs guidance or as someone who can successfully take the lead on the project? Perhaps there’s a total lack of confidence, and that’s why they keep trying to impose their own touch. You might need to change this perception.
Maybe he does this to others as well, why not ask a couple of coworkers? It would be good to clarify whether it’s a general habit or something specific to you. The strategy would change accordingly.
Or maybe they don’t like taking risks in projects? For example, if they experienced a bad outcome once, they might not have been able to overcome that trauma. They might be suppressing your opinion for this reason as well. If you’re not aware of that detail, you could be subjected to interventions that turn into psychodrama.
Is there maybe a situation where it feels like someone is testing you? Like, are you handling things well despite their interventions, and how do you react in crises? Perhaps it’s worth asking them directly, “What do you think I’m lacking in this job that makes you feel the need to intervene?”
Have you considered that these interventions might not be to “control you” but rather to “show his authority”? In other words, it might be less about you and more about trying to spread the message to the environment that “I am the one in charge here.” If that’s the case, instead of debating with him, you might be able to direct this need for display in a way that suits you.
But how does he intervene? I mean, does he change the project directly, or does he get involved and try to guide you? Because the two lead to different outcomes; one indicates complete distrust, the other might suggest a lack of communication.