discuss

[hermionesviolin]

So, one of the things I mention a lot in therapy is my, "But if I did it, then it would get done correctly," impulse.

Today, therp asked me what the psychology behind my micromanaging drive is, and I honestly had no idea. It is very much a True Fact about me now, but it's not something I can point to having been present throughout my development.* Walking back to work, I thought about the fact that my job has trained it into me in some ways. Anyone else have any thoughts?

*Okay, in writing this up it occurs to me that there's the "stubborn independent baby, I can do it myself, maybe" -- but I think that's slightly different, since this is more about my micromanaging tendencies. Though okay, a stubborn "I know best/I can do it myself" could easily transfer to "I know best for you, too/you should just let me do it."

Comments

[hedy.livejournal.com]

You had it at Smith, so it didn't grow at HBS-LOL. For ME, my micromanaging is pretty much the fact that that's the behavior that received reinforcement in my life. Did it happen a lot in high school?

[marginaliana]

Well, maybe this just means that I have a) the same issue as you and b) a bit of an intellectual snobbery thing going on, but a lot of the time I think you're not wrong to say you know better than others.

[onwingsofeagles.livejournal.com]

Maybe the nut doesn't fall far from the tree?

I can't really think deeply right now ... but you might think about how Dad and I function in the world. If it's similar, it might in part be your cultural environment.

[speacechilde.livejournal.com]

Are you surrounded by people who breeze in, say "This mind-picture that I have in my head, make it be a thing!" and then just leave you to it? I often think that's what makes a micromanager...b/c really, if it were up to most of the world, we'd all spend our days wandering around looking for ballpoint pens and getting distracted by pictures of cats.