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Susan M. Heathfield

Bad Boss Blues?

By , About.com GuideMay 22, 2012

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How many times have you witnessed a person working in a supervisory position without the necessary supervisory skills? How many times have you questioned why some leaders get the roles that they do? Probably, often.

It should come as no surprise to you, then, that at least once in your working life, you will be the victim of a bad boss. This applies to most of us, and when we experience the challenge of a bad boss with sorry supervisory skills, we need all of the help we can find to deal effectively with the situation.

The reason I periodically feature material about bad bosses is to empower you and enable you to deal with them. Let's face it. They do exist. And, what makes you define a person as a bad boss may differ from person to person, but they affect your morale, your desire to contribute at work, and your attitude both inside and outside of the office.

Who needs the discussion at your Saturday night family dinner out to focus on a bad boss? How empowering - not!

Even trickier? You may be the bad boss. This requires that you reach deep inside of yourself to ask that question. Your direct reports will rarely tell you; they have too much career progress at stake. Your colleagues will be careful, too. Many of the negative qualities that make you a bad boss, make you a poor colleague, too. Your well-meaning, often conflict averse, colleagues weigh the price of their silence versus a potentially conflict-ridden scenario.

The worst of all of this? The bad boss may be completely oblivious to the fact that their lack of direction, and other habits described in this article, make them a bad boss. Terra Vanzant-Stern does a good job of describing bad boss actions and discussing what to do about your bad boss.

Image Copyright PNC / Getty Images

More About Dealing With Bad Bosses

Comments
February 15, 2008 at 1:00 pm
(1) Romanus Abang says:

My name is Romanus Abang,i have an appointment with your department on the 26th of february.I am looking for a salary position.If there is a position for sixteen or seventeen dollers,i will be more than happy to take it.

Thank You
Romanus Abang

October 11, 2010 at 11:48 pm
(2) Donna Svei says:

Hi Susan,

It’s also possible to vet prospective employers to see what they do about identifying bad bosses so they can give them additional training and development and, failing that, let them go.

See “How to Avoid Working for a Bad Boss: 12 Tips” here: http://j.mp/a0vn8F.

Thank you,

Donna

January 28, 2011 at 3:10 pm
(3) Matt M says:

It’s inevitable that either you or someone you know will work for a bad boss sometime during your professional career. Bad bosses can come in a variety of forms and can cause untold damage to a firm’s productivity (and in some cases, people’s health).

Working for a bad boss has a large effect on your work experience and your performance. Whether you’re the one in this relationship, or know someone affected by a bad boss, we have a few tips for how to cope and make the most of the situation..

Matt Martell
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