[outworlder]

Maybe the difference is also what you are working on, or the stage the project is in. Or the level of understanding of the business requirements from everyone involved.

However, this case appears to be micromanagement, pure and simple. Micromanagement is "way too much of a good thing".

EDIT: Don't forget the pie-in-the-sky requirements. If you have sane and straightforward requirements, then you can usually break them down without too much drama. But, if they are that simple to break down, should they even be?