Everyone has a story to tell about their manager. Some stories are fit for TV, remember The Office. Every time I do a training session on “New to Management,” I get asked about the worst type of bosses. I challenge you to read through the 5 worst boss types below and I bet that you can identify a boss from the past (or a boss that you were very thankful that you never had to work for) that fits each type. Go ahead, I dare you.
My 5 Worst Boss Types:
The Bully!
Just like the playground or your school days, there are bullies in the workplace too. They are even worse than when you were younger. Why? They have years of practice and have refined their skills.
They may not be the physical type of bully, but they are definitely have social skills to figure out who and how to coerce to get ahead in their job. Usually on the backs of their team. My best example of was… During a team meeting the manager walked in to start the meeting off. Decided to take the approach that everyone is not doing their jobs. They did not “close” their departments to standard. Started pointing out individuals are telling them what they did not do. Went on to belittle some more. This went on for sometime. Next up, it was time to try and pump up or build up the team. Switch to the positive upcoming stuff. Thinking that this would help us (and the boss) with everyone will do better.
It is hard to have a functional team when the manager is a bully. Even if the bully behavior is not directed at you in particular – it has a impact on the whole team.
The Micro-Manager!
My least favorite of any of the worst managers. Micro-manager or control freak as many like to call this type. Just look at some of the behaviors.. Has to have the last say on everything. Tells everyone what to do, when it has to be done and then tells you how to do it. Has you put them as a cc on all email correspondence. Holds up a proposal to put their spin on it.
I have found that I ran into more of these micro-managers in my time than any other type. Maybe it was the environment of where I was working that maybe fostered that behavior.
Do as I say, Not as I do!
Talks up what should be done… But don’t look to them as an example of what is being said. It is the boss that tells everyone that start time is X, and they show up at Y consistently. The boss that says the rules do not apply to him/her.
My experience here with this type is limited to a few incidents… I had one boss that always was about the rules, guidelines and processes. So much so, that we all felt he was a walking company rule-book. He would take everyone opportunity to point out every small misstep from whatever. We were shorthanded one day and he had to fill in to keep the line running. In the start up meeting in the am, he pointed out that we are shorthanded and that everyone needs to come back from breaks and lunches on-time. He also said that many folks are not processing properly, (ie. missing checks, not documenting data, etc). Well, guess what… He never came back on-time, never did any of the administrative stuff for anything that he did.
This one does not really hurt the team too much, but it does not make the team a strong, well functioning team. Pretty much the boss is turned out. Problem here is – when he/she may have something really important that needs to happen, it will get ignored.
The BFF!
This one is very hard to see coming. Once you are in that seemingly friendly relationship, well it is downhill from there. This type of boss knows no boundaries. If they are having a bad day, so is everyone else. Or if they are not doing well, they seem to like to put that problem onto their friend. They tend to lean on their “friendships” to get stuff done.
When training new managers, sometimes I ask if anyone is now managing their team that they were once a part of. There are always a few. It is that “ace doer” that becomes the supervisor of the team. When working with everyone as peers, you do develop friendships with some of your co-workers. It happens, you spend a lot of time together and folks that have lots in common usually develop a friendship. When you are the boss – you have to have a separation. For 2 reasons. 1. You don’t come across as using your friendship to your advantage. 2. So you can act as a manager when necessary. All to often each person may take advantage of a situation because of friendship. Boundaries have to be set!
The Absentee!
Ever have a boss that shows up once and awhile? Maybe it is in the morning or at the end of the day. He/she is never really around. The team sometimes like the fact that they never see the boss. At least, that is what many of them say. Fact is – without that boss around folks seem lost.
My example here is… At start up meetings, we got to see the boss maybe 3 times a week. He would not even show up to those sometimes. When he did show up – he had very little to say. The team pretty much did what they thought was right. We would work all day, not once did the boss make an appearance. When it was time to leave for the day, sometimes we saw him walking to his car at the end of the day. I went 2 weeks one time, without seeing him. I thought he was on vacation… Well, he was not. He was pretty much in his office sitting and watching the teams performance from the reports.
Having an absentee boss sucks unless you like to just do your own thing and not worry about going anywhere or doing a good job. It is just limbo.
I bet you may have found people that fit those categories. I bet you thought, wait – I have some that cross into having more than one. I can share that I had one manager that was all but one – yes the bully, micro-manager, BFF that says one thing and does another… Hard to be an absentee with anything else.
Image via: Copyright: staras / 123RF Stock Photo
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