Let's Give Bad Bosses the Boot

Jan 1

What is it with rotten bosses? How do these people keep their jobs? A Newsvine story called Bad Bosses Common, Problematic provides the disturbing details:

TALLAHASSEE, FLA. — For most people, it’s back to work Tuesday after a holiday weekend with family and friends. And for many, a new study shows, it will be under a bad boss. Nearly two of five bosses don’t keep their word and more than a fourth bad mouth those they supervise to co-workers, the Florida State University study shows.

I say let’s take a stand against bad bosses in 2007. Let’s think about what it takes to give bad bosses the boot. Let’s stand up and say, in the words of Howard Beale in Network, “I’m as mad as hell and I’m not gonna take it anymore!” Imagine what could happen if companies spent their energy purging bad bosses instead of trying to do more “engagement” surveys. As we said before, truthfulness instead of truthiness should win out.

Technorati Tags: manager, boss, truth, HR, bad boss, engagement

About the Author

Frank Roche

Frank started IFRACTAL over 7 years ago with Sarah Chambers. Together, they've created HR communications and HR software for some of the world's leading companies. Frank is also studying Flamenco guitar and origami.

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Megan says:

January 24, 2007 at 6:41 pm

Sadly, good bosses seem to be in the minority. Average bosses and bad bosses rule! I would say more than half of those don’t even know they are average or worse (scientifically calculated – trust me), which means they blissfully ignorant of the negative influence they have.

Here’s to more companies waking up to the incontrovertible fact that the first step to improving management/leadership capability is finding ways to hold up the mirror.

Sometimes seeing our reflection for the first time is enough of a surprise/shock to make us run to the hairdresser for a new image….

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Frank Roche says:

January 24, 2007 at 10:12 pm

Megan, so true. It’s funny how many workarounds there are as a result of “bad managers.” I’m not sure why the mirror isn’t turned around. But I’m quite certain that bad bosses have to go. It’s funny, I’ve been reading a lot of Bob Sutton’s commentary on the “No A**hole Rule.” So many of them out there.

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