Lessons in micro-management!!!

You know you are micro-managed...
If you have...
To inform...
At least four people...
In the organization....
Before you do anything at all!!!
And I mean..
ANYTHING!!!!

And just to be on the safe side.....
Also..
Put it all in writing...
By filling in a form...
And sending it to two other people!!!!

Even if it is a mundane every day matter!!!!

Well...since you must wonder...
In the vast majority of companies...
Going to the loo..
Has not yet figured on this list!!!!
But those among them....
With enthusiastic rule makers...
Often consider the idea...briefly!!!!
And then...
Thankfully!!!
Abandon it!!!
Because of the expense involved!!!!
Nothing else!!!

I am not kidding!!!..
Really!!!
I too could not believe my ears...

But I am now told...
By those in the know...
That there are companies....
In Chennai...
Which do not mind this expense....
Where employees have to use a swipe card...
Before they can enter the facilities...
Ostensibly to ensure that the facilities are indeed free for use...
But actually...
To provide vital information...
On usage statistics!!!
That are used to calculate employee productivity!!!!

You know you are really micro-managed...
When the rules maintain that...
You must make...
Multiple copies of ALL letters...
That leave your computer....
Which you must then faithfully cc to everyone....
At every level of the hierarchy...

Hard copies of these missives are then neatly filed away...
In files...
Which after a while...
Are relegated to the lofts
In the dining hall...
And the basement....
(Those treasured haunts of rats and roaches!!!!)
And can never be found!!!!
When required!!

But then...
Copies of these same letters are backed-up...
In some remote recess....
Of the office!!!
And stored on a CD...
One copy of which is sent to the Head Office..
And one kept at the local office!!!
Just to be on the safe side!!!

So these can be found when you need them..
Right???

No..
Wrong!!!!
The CDs can never be traced!!!
When needed!!!!
Especially if the need is urgent!!!!

You are micro-managed without a doubt...
If you have to:
File daily, weekly and monthly reports...
Which are scrutinized!!!!
And fortunately filed...
Using the same afore-mentioned filing and storing system!!!

No!!!....
They haven't discovered hourly reporting yet!!!
But that too is possible...
Believe me!!!

You are surely micro-managed...
If after all this..
You have to listen..
Listen to tattle...perforce!!!
About how ineffective the system is...
That many matters are still slithering out...
Through the cracks and crevices in the system!!!!
How we must somehow...
Put all heads together.....
And make it more fool-proof!!!
More employee-ingenuity safe!!!
Sigh!!!

You know you are micro-managed a tad too much..
When you feel you are...
Tied hand and foot..
By the silken threads...
Of red tape....

Made worse by...
Institutional insecurity..
And...
An inability to judge...
Or trust employees!!!!

You know you are micro-managed...
When ..
At the end of the day....
You still.. somehow... feel guilty!!!!

You know you are micro-managed till it is eating your very innards...
When you think...
You have to post this on you blog!!!!

Rats!!!!!
I must be really far gone to do this!!!!

Ciao anyway!!!!