Bad Boss #1 - The Angry and Demeaning Boss, Part 1

Submitted by mauzenne on Fri, 02/20/2009 - 05:09.
in

This cast explains how to work with an angry and demeaning boss.

We wish we didn’t have to do casts like this, but angry and demeaning bosses are a fact of life. And, for most of us, it doesn’t matter how great a boss WE are if we WORK FOR someone who is angry, demeaning, and generally unprofessional. Despite our recommendations to focus on your team, because that’s where the leverage is, OUR boss still exists. And if she’s a jerk, we’ve got to adapt. Here’s how.


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KS180's picture
Submitted by KS180 on Wed, 03/25/2009 - 01:47.

Magnet for these types of bosses

Everything you mentioned in the podcast has happened to me.  The angry bad boss is my current CEO.  Unfortunately, there are many of them out there.  I just don't understand WHY they are still there.

My goal is to NOT be one of them.

artsmith222's picture
Submitted by artsmith222 on Sat, 05/23/2009 - 22:41.

Art Smith

I posted this in the Career Tools area, but the forum for this podcast might be approrpiate.

As you go through the series on bad bosses, I hope you'll consider the boss who changes goals every week / short tem goal boss. Mine is like that because he is focused on looking good to the very senior management for my project which has gotten visibility, but doesn't understand what is going on.

Prior to my boss getting so involved (when he heard senior management was very intrested), I made great strides on this project, to the point that management got interested. But now,It is frustrating to a technical person like me, because I feel I start something, only to be told to work on something else, only to be scolded later for not handling a risk that I trying to handle before. I come up with one piece of bad data, only to have him tell every single person to give me advice -- when I hadn't even asked for help yet. I feel pressured to get results from my experiments that mean nothing or contract labs that are beyond my control so we can tell senior management we're doing something, yet receive in little coaching on the best ways to do these things.

My boss has never been angry or demeaning, so that is why some of this was hard to apply.

mahorstman's picture
Submitted by mahorstman on Sat, 05/23/2009 - 23:31.

Sorry Art

You're right, those kinds of bosses are a different kind of bad boss, but challenging nonetheless.  Sorry this cast didn't address your situation.  We'll get to it!

uncomplicated's picture
Submitted by uncomplicated on Sun, 03/21/2010 - 02:42.

scary

There are clearly, some folks that make it yo upper management that lack many leadership and coaching skills.  They have made it because they have long standing employees that reside in a different office, only to produce results that the "bad manager" claims that was their coaching and leadership.   I have a boss very similar to Art's, who does not teach, lead or coach, but is the first to grab your format or idea and go to senior management.  My condition is a bit different because i have networked and worked with so many different folks in the immediate industry that I can make my way out eventually. Nonetheless, it is still very demoralizing.