Signs of Bad Boss
Are you trying to interpret some of the classic signs you have a bad boss? If you feel like your boss has no respect for you, your needs, your career, or your life outside of work, then you may be justified in feeling the way you do. You may be new to a job and are just trying to feel out your employer. Maybe you are a seasoned veteran who is feeling like your new manager just is not what a manager should be. It is easy to get frustrated when you work for someone who you don’t respect. Use the following six signs to determine whether your supervisor is the problem or if you just need an attitude adjustment.
It is important to remember that the problem might not be your boss. Occasionally, we need to examine our roles within our jobs and change the way we approach our daily tasks. While a bad boss can certainly make your job miserable, you need to make sure that you aren’t making your job a miserable place to be for both you and everyone else.
1. You Do It
Does your boss ask you to do things that she is not willing to do herself? One of the most frustrating things in the world is a boss who doesn’t work her way into her position from the bottom up.
Whether she was given her managerial role because of some advanced education or because she knew the right people, employees often find it difficult to take orders from a boss who has never had to experience the more difficult aspects of working up the ladder in a company.
This can be especially frustrating when your boss begins to give you tasks that she has never had to perform. It is even more maddening when the tasks are something you know the boss would not be willing to do at all. If your boss hands over the phone to you when a mad customer calls telling you to deal with it, you can be pretty sure that you have a bad boss.
This can also be a difficult situation when your boss does not have a good grasp on how long it takes to complete tasks. Your boss may expect you to compile reports in 30 minutes, but she may not realize just how long it takes to do the reports if she has never had to do the task in the past.
2. Taking Credit Where No Credit Is Due
Does your boss take credit for your work without giving you the recognition you deserve? Imagine that your boss’s supervisor is looking through the work that you have done. As the supervisor views a project or report, he offers praise for a job well done.
You are anxiously waiting for your boss to tell the supervisor just how hard you and the rest of the team worked on the project, but your boss takes all of the credit without mentioning your name.
Does this make you mad? It should. A good boss is always willing to spread the praise around because it builds morale, confidence and inspires people to work hard. A boss who personalizes all of the successes of your office is only looking out for himself. One of the classic warning signs you have a bad boss is when he takes credit for your work without giving you recognition.
3. Missing In Action
What would your boss say to you if you were late? Granted, being on time is part of being a good employee, so you should not feel like you have the right to be late, but this can be much harder to adhere to when the boss is always late. Some employers abuse their power and think that they do not have to follow rules. Coming in late, leaving early and making up random schedules is disrespectful to everyone in the office. While rank does have its privileges, there is no excuse for tardiness, especially when it affects the day-to-day tasks that are required to keep an office running smoothly.
4. Cover-Ups
Has your boss ever asked you to lie or to make up a report to cover for a mistake that he or she has made?
Some high-level managers and supervisors spend their time figuring out how to keep their jobs instead of actually doing them. A small compilation of mistakes is often enough ammunition for management to replace a supervisor.
If your boss is consistently making mistakes, missing deadlines and then asking you to help make excuses, then you are in a bad situation. There is no excuse for an employer who is not willing to stand up and face his or her own mistakes. Not only is it unethical, but it destroys any respect that you and your co-workers may have had for the person.
5. In the Background
Sometimes employees make mistakes, but good bosses will defend them and their mistakes in public. If it is a costly mistake, you can probably expect an earful once you get behind closed doors, but in public, your boss should always be on your side.
In some cases, bosses may be intimidated by customers or superiors and point the finger at you. This is the most obvious sign that you have a bad boss. If your boss gives in to the urge to point the finger and cannot step up and take the heat with you, you really have little reason to respect the person as an authority figure.
The workplace can feel like a battleground these days and every soldier wants to follow a general they can trust.
Is your boss the kind of leader who will stand well behind the battle lines and give orders, moving troops in and out of harms way, hoping only for her own good? Most of us want to follow a leader who will walk out to the front lines with us and help us fight the battle. It is easy to respect a boss who is willing to get dirty with you.
Employees will always work harder for a boss who works alongside them, who understands the difficulties of the day-to-day routine and who is willing to help them do the hardest and most grueling parts of the job.
6. Standing Water is Poison
Does your boss encourage your professional growth? A good manager or boss shares the successes of those she manages. Setting up subordinates for success whether it is through mentoring or continued learning to reach the next level should be every manager’s goal. If your boss ignores your requests for further training or tells you that you are wasting company time, she is not being supportive of her staff. Personal professional growth within the company should be encouraged, not discouraged.
What to Do if You Have a Bad Boss
The first thing you should do is take a hard, honest look at yourself. Do you find yourself engaging in less than professional activities like gossiping, taking the easy route or backstabbing? A bad boss may inspire you to do less than stellar work. Instead of under performing, make every effort to focus on your job. It is difficult to work in a negative atmosphere that lacks positive reinforcement so seek your kudos where you can. Refrain from complaining about your manager to colleagues. This behavior may heighten the problems you already face.
Each time you are assigned a project or task, write down exactly what the expectations are. Ask your boss to repeat instructions if necessary. Sign and date the document and refer to it if anything changes.
By documenting the exact instructions you are covering your back in case the bad boss comes back claiming you did not perform the task he set before you. Always repeat instructions back to your boss; if this bothers her simply inform her that you want to be sure you know what is required.
Keep a journal of the incidents that you feel most affected by. Document the facts leaving out emotions, but include how the situation affected your work performance. By documenting negative situations created by a bad boss you relieve stress from the incident.
Seek a mentor in the company especially if you truly enjoy your position and the company. If you need to, go outside the department you work in to find someone to mentor you. A mentor can become a valuable resource if you desire to move up in the company. A good mentor listens and becomes a sounding board for subordinates.
You may have the urge to report the bad behaviors of your boss, but think twice before you take this drastic step. The company may feel differently than you and label you as a whiner or troublemaker. This action could put your job at risk.
Your last resort is to leave the position after finding a new job. A position that affects your health and emotional well-being just is not worth it. Start networking, dust off your resume and seek a job where you will feel better about yourself and your job performance.
If your employer displays all six signs of a bad boss, you may want to consider a new course of action to improve the quality of your work environment. This may mean changing jobs, speaking up, or simply sitting down to discuss matters with the person. Often, people don't realize that their behavior is unpleasant to others and bringing the matter to light may resolve a bad work environment completely.
Bad bosses are the reason most people leave a job or position and move on. Bosses come in all sizes and shapes with varying philosophies about how to manage. From the control freak to the corporate narcissist, a manager with poor managerial skills will cause a drop in work production that benefits no one. Learn the six signs of bad bosses and then do what you can to stay in the position. Just keep in mind that a job is not worth risking health and sanity when a bad boss becomes too hard to handle.
Is It Time for a New Job?
You love your coworkers but hate the huge workload. The commute is crazy but the pay is great. So what makes a job a keeper? If you've been contemplating switching jobs, you should be confident in your decision, not conflicted. But how do you know if it's best to send off that letter of resignation or stick it out?
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