If the change is really so minor then it sounds like the employee is reacting against micromanagement. What kind of agency are you expected to have if minor th

If the change is really so minor then it sounds like the employee is reacting against micromanagement. What kind of agency are you expected to have if minor things like private variables are considered insubordination to authority? And then why would anyone want to continue working under a regime like that? The manager, presumably being more senior, should have the maturity to know when to choose their battles. I typically only intervene when I can see major architectural hurdles coming up, but I often see my colleagues fighting these stupid battles as managers and it's infuriating.