Boss micro-managing projects

[marycp]

I just started at a new company a few months back as a development manager which is a technical project manager who can do coding. It took awhile to learn the ropes but now I am working the projects very good and things are coming together.

My boss was managing my projects before I got on board and I have asked him three times to keep out of my projects. However he still goes to the people on the projects to ask for status, asks them how long things will take and asks them to do things. He also picks dates for launches and then complains bitterly when we can't make them when I told him they were impossible.

The times I reminded him to keep out of my projects, he either says he will stop or he tells me that the people on the projects came to him and when I go to talk to them they say he was the one that came to them. I am at a loss! Obviously I don't want to call my boss a liar and I don't want to seem like a whiner but I can't manage these projects when he is co-managing them. People will keep going to him.

I wondered about my performance and asked him and he says I am doing a terrific job and the other PMs tell me this is what he is like and it takes time to get him out of a project. I feel like I made a mistake going to this company, I took a cut in pay and although its closer to home it feels all wrong.

I need advice on how to approach him and what to say because obviously what I have been saying is falling deaf ears.

Any advice besides get a new job?

[vgarcia]

What about talking to his boss? If talking to your boss about these things does nothing, then I suggest going to somebody higher up than him.

[marycp]

What about talking to his boss? If talking to your boss about these things does nothing, then I suggest going to somebody higher up than him.

I think that is something I am may have to do, but I want to give my boss a few more chances. It causes a lot of strife when you go above their heads and I have not been here long enough to start that. Additionally he reports to the CIO who started a month after me.

At times I think he just doesn't trust me and I have only been working here a few months so I am wondering if I just need a couple of successes under my belt or if I should wait for my review to bring up my issues? Maybe at that time he can tell me what he feels?

I need to know what words I should use to convey my message more clearly. I have told him to come through me and that I can't manage projects with him in there. Maybe its time for me to say if he wants to manage the project and just hand it to him?

[Lil_Red]

Also talk to the people under you. Tell them if the boss asks them for a status report, they should refer him to you rather than give him the information.

[marycp]

Also talk to the people under you. Tell them if the boss asks them for a status report, they should refer him to you rather than give him the information.

Good idea. That is really what should happen but people get so freaked out when the VP is asking questions they will tell him anything he asks. I know he means no direct harm but its driving up the proverbial wall. To think he said in my job interview that he didn't micromanage!