Helicopter Managers

Shhhh. Quiet.

Can you hear the beating of the rotors? Don't look up, there might be one looking over your shoulder. If you smell too much cologne or perfume, that's a good indication. You turn, and sure enough.

Incoming chopper.

You might be working in a station populated by "helicopter managers." These are the people who have raised micro-managing to an art form. They have to be involved in every single decision, they don't trust their people to do even the simplest tasks, they think they're smarter than everyone else when in reality they're not even close. They hover over everything, hence the helicopter reference. They have a job title that is higher than yours. so they assume they can do your job better even though most of them don't have a creative bone in their bodies.

So how do you deal with them? Well, in many cases, as my father used to say, you need to, "Yes them to death." Trying to argue or make a point with a helicopter manager is an exercise in futility. If they say they sky is purple, just agree.

As in all walks of life, you have to consider the source. Many helicopter managers are authorities on everything, even though they've never worked in anything but a tiny market. Many will tell you how to do your job, though they've never worked a day in the news department. You can say yes and give them the bobblehead while knowing in your heart they're wrong. But don't challenge them. That only makes them hover even more. Agree with them, compliment them on their ideas, and watch them move on and hover over someone else.