A fussy boss is an annoyance that most of us could live without. But lets be honest, they are hardly the worst kind of bosses to have. They critique your every action, and can be a general drain on your energy, but you are stuck with them as long as you do not switch to a different company, and so it is in your best interest to make things work with them. The good news is that living with a fussy boss is not that big of a challenge, if only you know how to handle the situation just right.
Start with yourself
Before you launch blame on your boss, and start complaining about how he or she is so unfair to you, take a pause and see whether you deserve the criticism. Self critique is hard, but necessary when you find yourself in such a situation. Has your work lacked quality in the past? Do you often repeat some common mistakes, much to the chagrin of your superiors? Or have you committed to a task in the past, but failed to deliver? If yes, then maybe your boss is fussy with you because they are worried that you will repeat this mistake. Maintain a high level of quality in your work, and the criticism will eventually stop. Problem solved!
Your boss actually is fussy and loves to micromanage
There are plenty of bosses who just cannot let you do your job in peace, and must check in every hour or so to see what you have been up to. These micromanagers can often end up bringing down your productivity, and end up leaving you in a very fowl mood as well. But there is a method to their madness, and once you get what it is, your life will become so much easier.
Identify the common points that they raise, and focus on them. If your reports have errors, or use a font/colour that your boss does not like, make a note of how they DO like the report, and then make it like that in the future. If they are always checking on you to see what you are doing, learn to start your day with an email that lists all that you intend to do. This will not only keep them satisfied, it also shows your willingness to make an effort. End the week with the follow up of all the tasks given to you, so that your boss is informed of what is done and what still needs to be done.
Just make a little effort, and your fussy boss will cease to be a problem for you.
