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Are You the Boss from Hell?
From micromanaging to playing favorites, here are six things to avoid.
Posted 7/ 18 10 at 5:00 PM | Sales, Management, Leadership, Ask the Expert
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Q: I just don't get my boss. He is demeaning and demanding. He rarely compliments us but expects the world. I know all small-business owners are not this difficult, but he sure is. What gives?-- John
A: I'm with you, brother. There is a place like that just down the street from my office. Part of a takeout sandwich chain, this spot has an owner who gives me the creeps every time I walk in. Eyeballing the employees, barking orders, acting like a jerk -- he is the unhappy dictator making damn sure no one gets an ounce too much turkey.
No wonder I never see the same employees working there twice and an ever-present "Now Hiring" sign hangs in the window.
It takes work to be a bad boss. Here's a list of what not to do:
Micromanage. Being a bad boss mandates that you really not trust anyone to do their job right. Instead, you must continually watch what employees do and how they do so as to discern the slightest variation from the "norm." And then, when you do find them doing something "wrong" -- jump on them for it!
Of course, the consequences of this management style are obvious. Always worried about upsetting the apple cart, the employee of the micromanager lives in fear, resents the boss and treats customers accordingly.
So if you want to lose customers, instill fear in your staff -- it works every time.
Be rude and unreasonable. How about the telephone sales office where the boss spends his day yelling at employees, threatening to fire the one with the lowest sales and then actually doing so? Aside from causing incredibly high turnover, the overbearing, unreasonable boss sows disharmony and resentment. Staff morale is an oxymoron. Doing a good job for its own reward is unheard of.
Conversely, the reasonable boss fosters a sense of teamwork. Trusting people and treating them like adults creates harmony. Avoid this if being a bad boss is your goal.
Have unrealistic expectations. We all have bad boss stories. Mine stems from my days as a young lawyer. One day, the managing partner handed me three huge boxes of random papers and files. Each probably contained 1,000 pages or so. "Review these and let me know, tomorrow, what likely will be the major issues in the case and who the major players are."
It was the sort of project that should have taken a couple of weeks, at least, but I worked like a dog and exhaustively gave the vague semblance of a report to her the next day. "OK, I was just testing you," she said afterward. I worked for her for another year, but forever resented her for that trick and never trusted anything she said ever again.
Bad bosses expect the moon, but give little when employees deliver.
Hog the credit and cast the blame. When someone does a good job, a bad boss takes credit. When someone else has a bright idea, he presents it as his own. When something goes wrong, he blames others. Enough said.
Be a bad communicator. Bad bosses typically have all sorts of communication breakdowns:
They may set people up to fail by not explaining timelines, or sales quotas, production goals, etc. Not knowing what is expected of them, their employees are thus directionless and apathetic. Or, if these bosses do explain these things, but want to be a really bad boss, they unexpectedly change their mind about expectations -- but don't say why.
Play favorites. The bad boss clearly has favorites, and everyone knows who they are. He or she also has those who are -- how shall we say -- less popular. Everyone knows who they are too. The upshot is a workplace where work, credit, kudos and benefits are spread out unevenly, with dissension bringing up the rear.
So there you have it. You can be a bad boss, or be a reasonable, communicative and fair one. It may take a little more effort and discipline, but they payoff to your company will be well worth it.
Steven D. Strauss is one of the nation's leading small-business experts. A USA Today columnist, author and speaker, his latest book is The Small Business Bible. If you would like Steve to speak to your group, or if you would like to sign up for his free newsletter, Small Business Success Secrets! please visit his website at MrAllBiz.com. You can also follow him on Twitter at Twitter.com/SteveStrauss.
Want to be part of this column? Ask Steve a question at AOL@MrAllBiz.com.
Want to be part of this column? Ask Steve a question at AOL@MrAllBiz.com.
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Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Well Steve The bad Boss can't be all that bad ... You keep him in business by your return visits. What does that say about your real feelings ... screw the employees? Steve next time tell the guy what a jerk he is and that you won't be back. Show a little backbone.
I find the good old fashioned COURT OF LAW with generous settlement is the only thing that these creeps understand. It usually takes one settlement and the jerk is on the highway looking for another victim.
I wish I could find I the good old fashioned COURT OF LAW with generous settlements. Forty-two years - General Manager out on medical leave and let go while on leave as he said "job abandamount" which is unture. But if I told you my story of the past 24 years you would just laugh at me for staying. I never have been treated like that in my whole life nor have I treated anyone else that way. I am still dealing with the closing of the situation and I have more than one thing up my sleeve which I intend to use. They are not going to like the IRS for one thing when they have to explain more than one thing to them. Also a couple more very hard things they are going to have to handle. I have told myself my day will come. But I only wished I could hurt them $$ for me. But they will be paying but not to me. One of the largest Law Firms in Orange County tell me I had a good case but they only handled Corp. Law. Gave me some contacts but they spoke with me over the phone and I sent a letter of 5 pages of information and I think they did not want to try it on a contingency. They just did not understand what information and proof I have. Now they are trying to play with my profit-sharing.
Believe me he is he Boss from Hell. I wished he would read this but does not have AOL.
Here,Here ! I Mean isn't it against the law to abuse poeple in this country wether it be verbally or physically ? So where does the law stop ? at the front door of your place of employement ? Its no wonder some many people in this country are on some sort of anti depressant or mode altering drug.And as for violence at the work place well what goes around always comes around !
Yes, Greg, it is illegal. But you cannot expect people to stick up for you if they're in the same situation. However, at least one place I worked said that if you were physically attacked by someone, they were out the door. If, however, you hit them back you were also out the door. So any moves you might make would have to be clearly defensive in nature, just blocking blows and moving away.
Meg Whitman, by that definition, should have been out the door. The lady who was grabbed and pushed out the door had a good case and is back at eBay. Meg is gone. Make of that what you will.
You really want to know about how to deal with a Boss from Hell, check out www.offtheboss.com!
I worked in a classroom where the teacher was a dictator. To be sure, you're in charge but behavior like coming in Monday mornings looking for a fight, criticizing constantly without finding out what was happening, blaming an employee (the goat) for things they didn't do or worse, that didn't happen, talking about students' parents constantly in front of them, etc. is not what you're supposed to be doing and does not build a good team. And yes, I was the goat - but everybody had spent time in that position (unless they were the favorite). I think it was "training" in her mind - that or she was determined to "break" her employees in. It finally ended when she physically attacked me. I did not respond, I was too shocked and retreated (along with the child I was taking care of). I didn't go right to the principal since my only witness was the new favorite, but in the end I went in because it would just go on and happen again - if not to me to someone else, but probably to me with her history of doing this to employees and getting away with it. Even reported, there was always some technicality and the threat of a lawsuit to deter them. It is on the books though, and I was later assigned to another job. Heard (or overheard) instances of things said about me, but per my initial agreement with the principal / HR I never said anything about her except I could not talk about it. Those who repeat gossip or involve themselves are looking for trouble, and will be looked on as such, and meanwhile I know who they are. I appreciated the help I received, and when asked about those who handled it by a board member recently I expressed that yes, they were great and I would do anything for them, and I think he understood completely. I'm sure it is common knowledge in management. The teacher is retiring, and I am enjoying my job and learning a lot from it. Peace reigns.
Initially, I was "off-loaded by several law firms" - BUT - I just kept beating on doors until I found the perfect attorney match...then I found out he kept everything for 2 months and then backed out without even looking through my material. Once more into the search ....finally found a superb lawyer and just came back from his office with good news.
One lawyer (also a doctor) sent my material back to me with a most disturbing negative note - nurses, he implied, don't count!!! I sent him a thanks for your NO but you don't know me....and I listed my accomplishments despite the negative lack of support of my supervisors/peers.
I wish I could do more to help but I'm riding this issue through as far as I need to go - I keep my friends in my prayers and hope you will consider continuing the fight. Keep in touch.
From Tom: There was a woman VP in our office who probably was "tough" as she clawed her way up. However, as VP, she made everyone in the office call her "Baroness," and no one really respected her for doing that. She actually had a fake GOLD PLAQUE on her desk that said "Baroness." She didn't realize how people laughed when she was not around.
Avoiding bad bosses is like, impossible... Learn to confront them. If you get fired, then YOU become the boss.