Five types of “terrible bosses”

People often come to me for counseling who say they hate their boss. And if we look into the media and social networks, we find that the “bad boss” is the most popular type. The Devil Wears Prada, Horrible Bosses, House M.D. and similar films portray bosses as demanding and brutal dictators.

But the experience of a business coach suggests that everything is not so simple. Yes, some bosses are really lazy, greedy, incompetent … But think about it – a person is not appointed as a leader without a reason. Most often, the boss becomes the one who is really efficient, smart and managed to show his professionalism. Let’s take a look at the five types of bosses who are most often scolded by their subordinates.

1. Evil boss

Undoubtedly, crying is a sign of weakness. And at work, an unbalanced type can really come across. But most so-called “evil bosses” have reason to be angry. For example, he is angry because his boss has excessive demands. Let’s not forget that almost every leader has another leader.

The boss may be annoyed that his team did not perform properly at work, and this shows him as an incompetent leader. The boss may have family problems that affect his mood at work.

Finally, you may be the problem. Perhaps he is dissatisfied with your work? Or frequent lateness, whining, forgetfulness, overconfidence? Put yourself in the shoes of the boss – how would you behave in his situation? So before complaining or discussing his behavior with colleagues, ask yourself two questions. What kind of boss would you be and do you give reasons for the boss to be dissatisfied?

2. Boss micromanager

He gives the task, and then scrupulously monitors how you complete it: this greatly demotivates employees. Yes, there are such picky bosses – often this quality of theirs indicates their own incompetence. But if only you were chosen for micromanagement of all employees, this is a reason to think. Perhaps, without constant monitoring, you cannot complete the work on time and at the proper level?

3. Boss without people management skills

The boss must be able to develop and implement individual strategies to motivate his team members. It is important for him to understand when to be tactful and when to be strict. This is almost impossible to teach people. And no MBA degree guarantees this skill.

If the leader does not know how to manage people, and you are not ready to put up with it, you may need to find another job. But still, try to think about the fact that the boss got this position for a reason, but for some merit. Yes, he is not an expert in this area, but he most likely has other strengths.

4. Boss with low productivity

As mentioned above, one becomes a boss for some outstanding merit, and laziness is not among them. Therefore, do not rush to write collective letters and accuse the boss of being unproductive.

Perhaps his work only seems unproductive. In the end, the leader reports for her not to you, but to a higher director. But if his unproductiveness starts to affect your work, try to offer your help.

5. Unethical boss

Unfortunately, I can’t promise that complaining about your boss will make your life easier. Rather the opposite. In my practice, there were two cases when employees who reported to senior management on the mistakes of their boss were fired within a month.

If you notice that the boss is doing some kind of rude and offensive acts – pestering employees or acting in bad faith with the budget, then first collect evidence, and then file a collective complaint.

So, before you start to hate the boss, think about the reasons for his discontent. Well, if you are a leader and have recognized yourself, perhaps it is time to change?