Debate: Coping with a boss who micromanages vs. one who completely ignores you

I visited a clinic for a shift yesterday and noticed two managers on opposite ends of the spectrum: one wouldn't let a nurse breathe without checking in, and the other hasn't spoken to his team in weeks. Which is worse for your sanity, a boss who hovers over every little thing or one who leaves you totally on your own? Has anyone else dealt with both and can say which one actually made you quit?

2 comments

2 Comments

the_cole11h ago

I got a buddy who worked for a guy that would literally stand behind his chair and watch him type emails. Like, couldn't even let him finish a sentence without pointing out a typo or telling him to reword something. He lasted three months before he walked out mid shift, didn't even clean out his desk. On the flip side, another friend had a boss who didn't respond to a single message for six weeks, just left them to drown in a project with zero guidance. Personally I think the micromanager is worse because at least with the ghost boss you can figure stuff out on your own, but having someone breathing down your neck just makes you hate showing up every day.

jennifer9656h ago

My friend Sarah had a boss who would literally time her bathroom breaks. Like he kept a stopwatch on his desk and would ask "that took a while, everything okay?" if she was gone more than four minutes. She started eating lunch at her desk just to avoid the comments about using her full hour. She quit after two months and told me she still gets anxious looking at a stopwatch anywhere.