Impact of a bad boss on an organisation
A bad boss can wreak havoc on people and businesses. Each one can cost us our health and happiness, as well as the company he or she works for. Direct reports of bad bosses spend every day anticipating future conflicts and ruminating over previous ones. Employees’ motivation, creativity, and performance are devastated, costing them years of career growth
What Makes a Bad Boss—Bad?
Top 6 Characteristics of a Bad Boss and How to Deal With Them
In any organisation, one always wishes we have fantastic managers, who help us succeed, who make us feel valued, and who are just all-around great people. Unfortunately, many of us face a situation of handling what can be called a BAD BOSS. Every person, who has the misfortune of getting a bad boss has to go through feelings of anger and despair, wondering how can one handle it. Most of the time one ends up either quitting the job even may be a lower pay package or getting stressed out.
There is no clear definition of a BAD BOSS because bad bosses come in so many different shapes and sizes.
Many bosses fall into the bad boss category because they fail to provide clear direction, regular feedback, recognition for contributions, and a strategic framework of goals that enable their employees to see their progress. These kinds of bad bosses are what are called "generic bad bosses" because all employees need these types of support and feedback—and they suffer when they don't receive it.
Other bosses are bullies. They are nasty and overly critical. These bad bosses badger employees, and employees can never do enough to please them. On the extreme end of the spectrum, these bosses physically assault and throw objects at employees. However, with the evolution of society in General, in most corporates or say good organisations the rules or laws are in place and it becomes very difficult for such bosses to survive unless he or she is very powerful in the organisation
What Really Bad Bosses Do
1. Favoritism
They choose their favorite employees and cover up and make excuses for the poor work of their incompetent favorites. They ignore selected people and discriminate against many employees. They tend to give their favorites better schedules and assignments, more attention, and play around with them outside of work.
2. Lack of Communication
Fail to communicate, and may not even have clear expectations, timelines, or goals. Bad bosses change their minds frequently leaving employees off-balance. Bad bosses change expectations and deadlines frequently. Employees have trouble knowing where they stand and whether they're meeting expectations. Employees fail to feel a sense of accomplishment when expectations don't exist.
3. Unfair Treatment
Use disciplinary measures inappropriately when simple, positive communication would correct the problem. Bad bosses ignore employees until there is a problem, and then they pounce.
4. Bullying Behaviour
Speak loudly, rudely, and one-sidedly to staff. Bad bosses don't provide the opportunity for staff to respond to accusations and comments. They intimidate people and allow other employees to bully employees. A bad boss frequently talks right over an employee who has put aside their fear and attempted to communicate.
5. Hog The Limelight/Take Credit
Take credit for the successes and positive accomplishments of employees. They are equally as quick to blame employees when something goes wrong. They throw employees under the bus loudly and in public whenever they need to cover for their own poor performance or lack of leadership and follow through.
6. Never Appreciate
Fail to provide rewards or recognition for positive employee performance. Employees rarely feel recognized no matter how much they have contributed or succeeded.
Are Not Offensive But Still Bad, Bosses Do
These are the bad boss behaviours that employees are more likely to commonly see or experience. Taking place more frequently (because the behaviour is generally more acceptable in the workplace) a bad boss is also someone who:
- Is not qualified for the boss job by either skills or experience. The bad boss doesn't know how to lead and interact effectively with people.
- Will not let go of problems or mistakes. The bad boss returns to discuss negative events continually and searches for faults in employees.
- Will not accept constructive feedback and suggestions for improvement. A bad boss can't deal with disagreement from employees who have their own opinions about work-related issues. While this bad boss won't openly disparage and abuse their employees, they also will not listen to them.
- Lacks integrity, breaks promises, and is dishonest. Bad bosses make up stories when they don't know the answer to an employee's question and they are not motivated to find out.
- Use their team members as pawns for their own success.
- Do not lead by example
How does one deal with a BAD BOSS
To get the best of the experiences we did an informal survey on getting ideas from some of the experiences or what we can call success stories and derived the following summary. Maybe this may work unless you find a new innovative way of dealing with the situation:
1. Make sure you are dealing with a Bad Boss
Is there a reason for her or his behaviour or is it you have a wrong perception! Maybe you need to introspect or try and do root cause analysis with a cool mind. Do not make an impression based on just a few incidents. Try an discuss with your friends whom you have confidence in or who have been your informal mentors
2. Identify her or his Motivation
Observing, and undemanding her or his Leadership style may make a lot of sense. How does he handle under employees or your colleagues
3. Don’t let it affect your work
Make it a point not to allow her or his behaviour to impact your work. It is better to do your job and give your deliverables and be on good terms with other bosses it will at least keep your job). Do not try to get into negative attitude mode, like working slower, skipping attending meetings, etc. Try to deliver the extra mile
4. Stay one step ahead
Try and be proactive. Eg, if you are dealing with a micromanager, head off your boss's requests by anticipating them and getting things done before they come to you. If you reply. ‘ I already left a draft of the schedule on your desk for your review, you will minimise the need for reminders from her of his side.
5. Set boundaries
Working with someone who seems to have no boundaries means that you have to go ahead and set them. Remember it is a big challenge to handle an unlikable person with unlikable behaviour. As Robert Frost said, Good fences make good neighbours
6. Stop assuming they know everything
Having a managerial title doesn’t mean they are Gods or have the right answer, all the time.
7. Act as a leader
When dealing with an incompetent boss, sometimes it is best to make leadership decisions on your own. If you know your job, it makes sense you go ahead and deliver good results. It may make sense to keep the management ( other bosses) indirectly as well as your boss in the loop (maybe in writing) so it does not give an impression that you are undermining the authority of your boss
8. If your boss has anger management problems
Identify what triggers her or his meltdown and be extra militant in avoiding those. Eg If your boss starts fuming if you arrive late, try and be ten minutes early
9. Use tips from couples therapy
When dealing with a disagreement, pull on some tenants from Coupe’s therapy to handle the issue.’ Simply reply to her or him and ask ‘ Is that what you meant? If agrees to your recap, ask her or him to tell more about it. When you repeat someone’s perspective, you give that person a chance to expound and, crucially, to be heard
10. Avoid future Bad bosses
If you have decided to move on to another organisation, make sure you do informal research and make sure you do not get into a similar situation
The above data was collected through Internet research
