Bad Boses

1. Bad Bosses:
What Kind are You?
Source:
http://finance.yahoo.com/career-work/article/108677/bad-
bosses-what-kind-are-you?mod=career-leadership
Prepared by:
ingambra | 2012

2. Time to Face Your Reports
O The day of reckoning has arrived. Your
leadership skills need an overhaul, and
I've detailed why in the following slides.
O Any of these shortcomings sound
familiar?

3. 1. Don't Know Your Job
You're the invisible man, the one who
doesn't delve into the details or pitch in.
You insulate yourself, telling us it's "not
my job" and to "just do it."
We know your dirty secret: You're out of
touch. It's time to step away from your
precious spreadsheets and get your
hands dirty. You can't channel talent,
time, and tools if you don't know how
they're already being deployed.

4. 2. Don't Listen
We've seen it all. You fiddle with your
BlackBerry (RIMM) when we're
speaking. You interrupt constantly to
make your points. And you roll your
eyes and grow impatient—unless you're
talking.
No matter, you disregard our input
anyway. So we've given up; we don't
come to you anymore. And we both
suffer for it. If you want to succeed,
rebuild that goodwill. It'll require time
and toil, but the best relationships
always do.

5. 3. Closed-Minded
You're gifted and accomplished, the
best and brightest. And that has made
you susceptible to pride. Now, you're
quick to reach conclusions. Everything
is one-sided, with no room for
discussion, differences, or dissent.
You may view yourself as all-knowing,
but conditions change. And talent
doesn't stand for "my way or the
highway" for long. Pride goeth before a
fall. Question is, can you open up and
adapt before then?

6. 4. Poor Preparation
Another emergency meeting. Drop what
you're doing, they need it now. We're
changing direction and working late
again. It's always last minute, make it
up as you go along.
Maybe it fosters teamwork and creativity
sometimes, but you can only cry wolf so
many times. In reality, the unexpected
drama reflects your inability to set
expectations, plan ahead, and think it
through. And it's just wearing us down.

7. 5. Not Building Skills
"People are our most important asset."
Well, it's empty rhetoric here. Maybe
you want to be hands-off or encourage
self-reliance. Whatever the intent,
you're not helping us grow.
And that's your real job as a manager:
to broaden our outlook, push us beyond
our comfort zones, exemplify the
corporate values, and focus us on
learning, serving, persevering, leading,
and advancing. Don't take that
responsibility lightly.

8. 6. Overzealous
History remembers the tyrants but rarely
the subjects who did the heavy lifting.
It's no different here. You've created a
divide-and-conquer atmosphere, all
stick and no carrot, where everyone
should be the same workaholic
reflection of you.
Eventually, your bullying and rah-rah
intensity produces one question:
"Why?" You may think we should be in
"for life," but what are you giving back in
return for that blind loyalty?

9. 7. Don't Maintain Discipline
All the workers come and go as they
please, living according to their own
rules. No one knows who is where
or doing what, and the result is
chaos.
Maybe you want to be our buddy—
or experience how a sweat shop
atmosphere fosters only
resentment. Either way, coddling
does no favors to anyone. Like it or
not, you need to set rules and hold
people accountable.

10. 8. Never Heard of Tact
You always remind us that we're
replaceable and working at your pleasure.
Yes, it's your legendary bluntness. Your
talent and tenure shields you from
scrutiny. Sadly, your lack of self-
awareness results in everyone—superiors
and reports—maligning or marginalizing
you.
Brains take you only so far; eventually,
you'll need to build and nurture
relationships. And that requires people
skills: listening, charming, understanding,
and compromising. Think you're up for
that?

11. 9. Lack Influence
It's funny how we're usually last to get
face time and resources. Our mission is
vital and performance exceeds
expectations. You'd like to believe it's
jealousy, but maybe the messenger is
undercutting the message.
Look at your variables: appearance, body
language, and speaking and writing
styles. Do you always convey the image
of a polished professional who can work
in a team and get the job done? If you
can't, you'll never get anyone's ear.

12. 10. Blindside Us
Ah, there's nothing like a surprise.
Whether you're singling us out in public
or ambushing us in private, you're not
afraid to render judgments and deliver
lectures.
Despite our advanced degrees and
track records, you still treat us as
servants. Instead of dropping the news
all at once, give us fair warning when
our performance doesn't meet
expectations. Always take action
immediately—and discreetly.