Leadership: Good Boss Turned Bad

As soon as the word bad boss is mentioned most people start imagining pictures of a wicked person, a crook, a tyrant, a scheming backstabbing individual, a selfish ogre, etc. And typical textbook definitions of a bad boss is one who screams, threatens, intimidates, grabs credit, fires people, throttles people’s necks and so on.

While this could be true in some cases, it is not so in a large percentage of cases. Actually it is not necessary to be a wicked person at all to be called a bad boss. Ironically, a good natured or normal person can also fall under the category of a bad boss without exhibiting the standard boorish behaviors.

Here are a few common mistakes good people do to slowly transform themselves into bad bosses.

Lack of Knowledge: A good person can become a manager of a department for various reasons, but may have no knowledge necessary to run the department. Often many employees get promoted to stratospheric levels too fast, but without the required knowledge, maturity or skills to run a bunch of diverse departments.

Avoiding learning: It is understandable that a manager cannot be expected to have an accurate knowledge from day one. To gain knowledge one must get into deep water to understand the nitty-gritties of a new department's work, irrespective of their earlier experience. And no matter which department you manage there will be some amount of new learning every day to keep abreast of latest trends and happenings related to that particular industry.

Unable to shield their team: Often for many managers maintaining the status of a good and diplomatic person who will not antagonize customers and clients becomes more important than being right. So they may not be able to shield their team from hostile situations, unfair accusations or demands. They will start saying yes to every demand and put their team members in trouble or excessive workloads. Very soon team members will stop going to them for help - Jeff Rich, the CEO of ACS says, "I think the day that your people stop bringing their problems to you is the day you stop leading. They've either concluded that you don't care about their problems or that you cannot help them. And leaders have to be in a position to help.”

Distorted view: Customers and clients don't appreciate a plain exhibition of good nature. Just because a person is good, customers will not take things easily or dilute their demands. They need value for their money, solutions, answers, guidance, etc., for their problems. A good nature and lots of smiles cannot be used as a shield for delivering bad results. And if a person cannot provide that, he or she automatically becomes a bad manager.

Finally we can conclude this article with a quote from Thomas Arnold, “Real knowledge, like everything else of value, is not to be obtained easily. It must be worked for, studied for, thought for, and, more than all must be prayed for.”

Leadership: Scheming Hog

Every employee may have one grievance - an impossible or eccentric boss! They have, somehow, become common factors in grumbling employees' lives. But dealing with them is a professional necessity and it is essential to understand that although they have a common thread joining them together, there are different specialty traits to their eccentric natures.

There are as many types of human characters as there are people and bosses are no exception. Below are some techniques and strategies to deal with them so that your employment is not in danger:

Dealing with Eccentric Bosses. While dealing with bosses it is better that you know that some of the eccentric traits may have brought him to where he is now.

1. The Shouting Boss: The psychology of shouting bosses is that they can get the things done only by shouting. They don't mind shouting at anyone, anywhere. Although shouting is a sign of impatience, it is also because they want to be recognized on the spot. Satisfying their ego by listening to them calms them down. Further, executing their instructions will get them your respect.

2. The Scheming Boss: He is the most dangerous of them all, always plotting to fire one person or the other. They are highly manipulative while being extremely intelligent, highly motivated and focused. His way to the top is through firing workers which he says is benefiting the company; in reality he is worried about protecting himself and his position. Being honest and acting with extreme care is the best policy when dealing with this type of boss.

3. The Just-A-Minute Boss: He is an impatient man but not rude. He wants everything to be done on the fly. He has many things in his head while talking to you and so may be unable to grasp anything you said. The next day he may surprise you with a 'you-didn't-tell-me-this'. These types hardly complete any tasks, so be prepared for big workloads at anytime. Keeping evidence of your communications (possibly through emails), or completing the communication/task on the spot is better.

4. The Bumbling Boss: This junk head is trying to hide his inadequacies behind big talk and other diversions. Although he is rather harmless, he is neither a good leader nor an inspiring one. Just because he has reached a higher position above you, he might also get a sense of false prestige. Occasionally showing his mistakes in disguise of guarding him and guiding him is your best bet.

5. The Fear Monger: The attrition rate of this boss is high because of the fear and psychosis he creates. No one wants to continue working with him; often he fires them himself before they can quit, because he thinks fear is the only way to motivate employees to work. Changing your job, and fast, is the way to deal with him.

These are just a few of the dominant personality traits that you may find during your career. You need to be aware of them in order to preserve both your job and your sanity!

Leadership: Thorn in Your Arse

If you have worked for anytime at all, you have had the opportunity to work with a difficult boss. I have had the pleasure of working with many over my lifetime and have learned a few interesting ways to handle a difficult boss.

First, change your perspective. As long as you see your boss through your "jerk" filter, your boss will be a jerk. Let that go and see your boss as just your boss. Period. Don't make judgments or put labels on the boss. Realize that your boss just is. Shifting your perspective will help you to begin to shift the energy around how you think and respond to your boss.

Learn to manage your boss. Yes, that is right. One of the most important things one can do is manage the manager. Learn what your boss wants and doesn't want, likes and doesn't like, and how to do the kind of job your boss is looking for. I once worked for a boss that wanted a daily report on everything I did. I thought it was ridiculous, but it made my boss happy and kept him off my back. Remember that you do work for the boss and the boss is paying you, so as long as what the boss is asking for is legal, then it is your job no matter how stupid it may seem to you to do what the boss requests.

Understand that your boss is not going to change. I have worked with clients that think that if they just do their job better, faster, or more elegantly, the boss will see how valuable they are and change their evil ways. Ha, in your dreams! The boss is not going to change. If change is going to happen, it is going to be up to you. You will have to change the way you interact with your boss. Once you begin to act differently, the boss may respond differently, or not, but it will be up to you to make the change and you will be in control of your own actions and responses.

Know that it does not matter if you like your boss. You do not have to be best friends with the boss. You do, however, have to have a professional relationship. That means that you do not complain or gossip about your boss and you get your job done. I have worked with bosses that I could not stand, but they never knew it. I was polite, respectful, and did my job. It was not always easy, but it made a difficult situation tolerable.

Understand that you have a few choices here. You can stay and live with it or you can leave. You can either adapt to the situation or leave the situation. If you feel like the boss has done something illegal, you can always see a lawyer and find out what your rights are. You might also talk to someone in your Human Resource Department or the Equal Employment Opportunity person in your company. The thing to remember is that you are never powerless. Even if all you can do is control your own actions and attitudes, remember you are in control.

Document everything. Documentation will support you if you ever have to file a complaint. Keep detailed records about the interactions with your boss, the work you are doing, and anything else that may seem important. I once had a boss try to downgrade my appraisal for no other reason than his appraisal had been downgraded and he didn't want me to have a better rating than he. Because I had everything documented, I was able to fight the downgrade and won.

Documenting what you do just makes good sense. It will also help you at the end of the year when you are trying to remember everything you did. Don't expect your boss to remember; even a great boss won't. They have way too much to do. It is up to you to keep detailed records of how you are contributing to the organization.

Everyone is someone's difficult person. You may very well have a personality conflict with your boss. Ask yourself honestly how you are contributing to the relationship with your boss. It does take two to dance. Ask yourself how you are making things worse. This can be hard to look at, but can also give you some insight into your own behavior and how you can remove yourself from the drama. Sometimes, with or without realizing it, we are making the situation worse. Step back and see how you might be doing that and stop. This isn't a matter of giving up or letting the other person win. It is a matter of maintaining your sanity.

Find someone outside of your work environment to talk with. Do not talk with other people at work about what a jerk the boss is. It will get back to her or him. Find someone who can give you an unbiased opinion and help you create a strategy to manage the boss. This will help you to defuse some of your frustration and support you in creating healthy ways to handle the situation.

And remember, you have the power! Don't let anyone take it from you. Control your actions and attitudes. As long as you are in control, you are better able to manage the situation and make the best choices.

Leadership: Supervisor or Dictator

A SUPERVISOR, is a person, in charge of other people, who makes sure, that he knows what is on the minds of the people he has authority over. He knows, for a fact, that without the support of the people under him, nothing of any importance will ever be accomplished.

Even though he is in charge, he wants the willing cooperation of those he will be supervising. He knows that even the most junior person in his organization is an important part of the over all operation of what they all are trying to accomplish. He knows that if he does not take into consideration the ideas and feelings of those he has authority over, these subordinates will not be so willing to go along with his leadership. He knows that even though he in charge of operations, that his job is no more important than anybody else's job.

Everybody's job is important, no matter how lowly some jobs seem to be. If you think I am kidding you, just try to get along without janitors and garbage collectors for a while, and you will see what I am talking about.

A DICTATOR, is a person, in charge of other people, who makes sure, that the people he has authority over, know what is on HIS mind. A dictator is a person, on nothing more that an EGO TRIP. He doesn't give a damn what his subordinates think about anything except carrying out his orders regardless of their feelings, ideas, etc.

Dictators are self absorbed and are motivated primarily by self interest rather than the interest of anyone else. The only input that he wants from others would be along the lines of his own ideas, and loves to be surrounded by yes-men and yes-women.

Sooner or later, dictators are always overthrown, because the people under them, cannot forever suppressed the desire to live their own lives, to be free from a power that does not give them the freedom to be an intelligent and open contributor to the operation, to which they are a part.

The difference between the two powers above is the reason why, down through history, dictators and centrally controlled governments, eventually fail because, sooner or later, people will rise up and demand their right to be HEARD.

Leadership: Dictator

Dear Aunty May,

I thought I got the dream job when I received their offer. But now I found out that I made a big mistake. My new manager, it turned out, is an oppressive dictator. I first found that out only two days into my new job, when he got us all in a room for an impromptu meeting, to tell us: “I am the only one in this department who is authorized to take any decisions. The rest are to follow orders.” He is autocratic, belittling, impatient, and cunning. The company is a great company, but my bad luck got me under this manager. If I quit, I will never get a chance to work for this company again. If I stay, I am afraid I will not know how to deal with this guy and might end up fired anyways, as he is a trigger happy son of a gun. What do you think?

Regards,
Ahmad

Dear Ahmad,
What you are describing is an autocratic boss. They can be very unpleasant managers, and if on has a choice, he would rather not work for them. However, I understand if you cannot afford to just leave your company or move to a different department. I that case, there are some tactics that can help you maneuver around your manager, and if you are good at it, you might just be able to “upward-manage” him.

First, it is important to understand what is autocratic management and the mentality behind the autocratic manager’s behavior.

Autocratic managers follow the most classical approach to leadership. They retain as much power and decision making authority as they can. Employees on the other hand are expected to follow her orders no questions asked. Their behavior stems from holding on to old managerial myths that do not believe in or trust employees. To them, employees, if not controlled and watched carefully, will take advantage of their manager and be lazy and less productive. Employees, to these bosses, are trying to get their pay from the company without having to do any work, if they can help it. They do not care about the company and are not competent or dedicated enough to make sound decisions.

Therefore, these managers rely on threats, punishment, and coercion to control employees. They do not trust them and are not interested in their input.

First of all, remember that his style and behavior in itself is not your problem or your fault. It is actually his problem and his responsibility. One thing you do not want to do is to try to reason with them and change their ways. That is almost impossible. Not only will you waste your time, but you might jeopardize your position and provoke negative reactions from him. Rest assured somebody else has tried, and he is no longer there to tell you about it.

Do not pick up fights with this manager, especially if they do not concern you. Meaning, you do not want to get into confronting him about his behavior and work style, except when he is directly insulting or abusing you. Then, you confront and assertively stop the abuse, and show that you will not take insults from him. The key is to do this without being defensive or coming across as weak, and at the same time not becoming offensive or disrespectful. Remember you can be clear and strong without having to be vulgar or ill mannered.

Instead of confrontation, focus your efforts on your work. Understanding what results your manager expects from you and delivering on those results consistently without faltering and without getting too close or personal with this kind of manager. Keep your behavior professional and limit interactions as much as possible without jeopardizing the quality of your work.

Remember that these managers need to see results, so focus on ensuring that they see the fruits of your work, because that is primarily what they care about. Usually these kinds of managers do not have an interest in you as a person, or any of the employees for that matter. They just want to see the job gets done.

Theory X managers do not like or appreciate supporting employees. To them, that is like being asked to do baby sitting. Your needs for praise, recognition, or support, are none of their concern. They are not interested in caring for, motivating, or supporting you. Just take care of business, as they desire and you shall be saved from their wrath.

This type of managers will try to force their style and ways of working on you. If this happens, do not try to argue or prove them wrong. Instead, focus on your understanding of the desired end result they want to get, then get their consent to letting you “fine tune” their direction as the job requires, without you having to “bother” them with details, as long as you deliver the desired outcomes.

Always deliver on your promises and commitments. If they try to pressure you into committing to something you cannot achieve, then clearly state that their request is unrealistic and clearly state why. Be confident in your position. You do not want to lose credibility with this kind of manager.

If you consistently deliver, you will, over time, gain their trust and be given more room to maneuver. Once they learn to trust you, their behavior towards you will improve and they will allow you more freedom to take more decisions in your work.

Do not try to compete with this manager or try to be a shining star at the department. They will come back at you with a vengeance if you try to be popular or “steel their thunder,” so to speak. They will shoot you down quickly if you undermine them regardless of the quality of your work. Stay away from the limelight and never bad mouth the boss. Also give him credit where credit is due for your work and for the results you achieve.

All through this, remember that your manager was not born this way. Maybe he himself feels forced to act the way he acts due to upper management or market pressures. Having said that, remember also that this is not your ideal environment for growth and development, and being around negative influence for a long time will eventually get to you and might negatively influence your behavior. As soon as you can afford to, move on to somewhere with a bit more positive and healthy work environment where there is a more supportive boss.

Leadership: Lesson 101

A picture tells a thousand words

Death, Tax & Insurance

KUALA TERENGGANU: Terengganu plans to provide comprehensive insurance coverage for senior citizens so that their relatives need not worry about funeral expenses upon the death of the policy holders.

State Welfare, Community and Women Development Committee chairman Ashaari Idris said some 160,000 locals were expected to benefit from the insurance scheme when it is implemented.

The indemnity would cover funeral expenses and compensation for the next-of-kin upon the death of the policy holder, he said.

He added that the insurance coverage would also pay a quantum to the spouse of the deceased if they had dependents under their care.

Ashaari said a proposal had been outlined on the types of coverage that eligible recipients would receive.

“I will table the proposal during the state executive council meeting on Wednesday and follow up on the next course of action once the Exco gives the go-ahead,” he said.

Ashaari said most insurance companies paid RM1,500 for funeral expenses while a lump sum of about RM30,000 is paid to the next-of-kin.

However, he said the state government had to also take into account the total cost involved in providing the coverage, as it would have to fork out the monthly premiums.

He added that once the insurance scheme was approved, locals who were eligible would be identified through the state Welfare Department’s database of recipients on state aid.