By the laws of mathematics, most bosses are more or less average when it comes to management talent. However, bosses who are really awful tend to share these 10 easily-identifiable characteristics. -- Geoffrey James
Horrible
bosses analyze problems to death and make tentative decisions, which
they frequently revisit. By contrast, great bosses make decisions
quickly and hold firm to them because they know that failure to decide
is failure by default.
2. They're impatient.
2. They're impatient.
Horrible bosses
have a short fuse and are quick to vent frustration on employees. By
contrast, great bosses keep their tempers in check lest browbeaten
employees make more and worse mistakes.
Horrible bosses
inflate every setback into a disaster, every competitor into a nemesis,
and every workday into a series of conflicts. By contrast, great bosses
turn setbacks into stepping stones, competitors into allies, and each
workday into a good day to be alive.
4. They're controlling.
Horrible bosses
believe there are only two ways to do something: "My way or the
highway." By contrast, great bosses use their employees' individual
traits to align personal goals with business goals.
5. They're not self-aware.
5. They're not self-aware.
Horrible bosses
ride the roller coaster of their own emotions, dragging employees along
with them. By contrast, great bosses cultivate the emotional awareness
to understand their own processes and harness them to everyone's
advantage.
6. They play favorites.
6. They play favorites.
Horrible bosses
hand out plum assignments, perks, and raises to employees whom they like
the best. By contrast, great bosses give each employee the opportunity
to excel in his or her own way.
7. They're overly vain.
Horrible bosses
hog the limelight and take the credit for the successes of their team.
By contrast, great bosses always realize that without actual workers
doing actual jobs, there would be no such things as a "job creator."
8. They're inflexible.
8. They're inflexible.
Horrible bosses
are forever trying to replicate past successes, even if they're ancient
history. By contrast, great bosses treat past successes warily because
"what got you to where you are now won't get you to where you want to
go."
9. They blame others.
9. They blame others.
Horrible bosses
finger-point and scapegoat when things go wrong. By contrast, great
bosses know that the failure of a team is always a failure of its
leadership and rarely of the team itself.
10. They're never grateful.
10. They're never grateful.
Horrible bosses
characterize themselves as "self-made" because they've worked so hard.
Great bosses are always conscious that they're successful because
they're standing on the shoulders of giants.
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