Bit of background: moved to my position in July 07. It is a great job, I'd go so far as to say that I love it. It's a stop gap at the moment as I have just qualfied and am looking for/applying for the next stage.
I went on Maternity leave in Jan 08 and returned at the start of December. Just before I went off on ML one of the girls in the office was promoted and placed as my line manager. A few things irritated me but shrugged it off as I was going on ML.
Since I've returned though it seems to have got worse. My new line manager seems to manage for manage sake. She really doesn't seem to know how to be a manager. Most of the others she manages in my team are 2 or 3 grades lower than me. I am one grade lower than my manager. Before I went on ML I pretty much looked after myself, just got on with what needed doing and only really spoke to my then line manager when it came to housekeeping - holidays/appointments etc. Now I am asked to run everything by my manager which irks me. Because of the grade I am on I am expected to have some responsibility by I feel that is being taken away from me. I am being managed in the same way as those on lower grades. For example - I have to go to quite an important national meeting. The others that are going are equal to my role, yet, my manager has made noises about coming. The information about the meeting specifcally stated that it was only expected that those in my role were to attend. I feel like I am being molycoddled. She constantly checks I have a pad and pen when going places, she tells me off if I have checked my email when not in work, she wants to read over letters that I am sending (and comes up with changes that are awful). I am younger than her children and I do think that she finds it hard to stop being 'mum' to me.
My PDR is coming up and I would really like to mention this, but I really think my manager will take it to heart. She is actually a lovely person and we got on well before she became my line manager and I know she will feel offended. I just don't know how to bring this up without offending her. I feel like I am being micromanaged and I hate it. I know more about the project I run than she does and was given the role because of the knowledge I have, which again is more than her and sometimes I feel that she is trying to show me she is my manager, which I understand to an extent, but just want to scream 'give me some room, let me get on wth my job and we'll be fine'.
Has anyone had to bring up things about their manager to their manager? Or as a manager have you dealt with something like this from a member of staff? I know that I want to be mananged in a more appropriate way taking my grade into account. I don't think I should have to run letters past her or have her accompany me to meetings that I can handle on my own but I feel like a spoilt little brat in bringing this up.
