Micromanaging principals & executives are like pythons who slowly suffocate their victims. They gradually suck the will to live from their staff and leave them discontent, depressed, unwilling to take initiative, sapped of creativity, frustrated, unable to sleep, reliant on alcohol & completely burnt out.

Here is an example from a friend who attends the same 'back to work' program as I do. She is a little stressed, to say the least, as a result of working in such a toxic workplace.

It is almost the end of term. Student reports have been handed back for rewriting, teaching programs and registers are due (each minute of the day is to be accounted for, each page to be submitted in a plastic sleeve and decorations to be in watercolor pencil only), projected budgets for 2012 are due, the sports carnival software has crashed without a backup, the school concert is in two weeks and her illustrious leader has just set out an email demanding a database for how the students would like their fundraiser hot dogs... White roll? whole meal? gluten free? margarine? butter? mustard? ketchup? pickle relish? coleslaw? sauerkraut? onion? mayonnaise? lettuce? tomato? cheese? chili peppers? or any combination of the aforementioned!!!

Needless to say, staff morale is at an all time low. Many people are considering leaving and children are not being educated to the best of the teachers' ability as they deal with petty obsessions and administrivia. School has become a boring and unstimulating place for the teachers as well as the students.

So what can we do?

According to the literature the best way to deal with this type of person is to see them as an escaped psychiatric patient. Then join a gym, eat out, skydive, minimize the amount of time you spend at school, go swimming, watch a movie, go for a long walk and ask yourself, 'What am I doing to look after my mental health and well being in this environment?'

My answer in a nutshell is..."MICROMANAGE THIS BABY!!!"

BT

PS If you click on the image I've made it big enough for desktop wallpaper :-)