Let’s face it; we have all seen and experienced bad bosses. There are the ones that bully, or the ones that drive you mad by trying to tell you how to do your job at the minutest level of detail. Poor bosses sap the spirit right out of their employees and cost their organisations money. We’ve listed nine types of bosses you don’t want to be
This is an edited version of an article that originally appeared on Metropolitant
The god
Arrogant, shows off at any opportunity and is in constant need of having your ego boosted. You constantly need to be worshipped by your minions during meetings – and especially at events in a related field. If you think you know everything and can do no wrong, your employees might think it’s a good idea to seek greener pastures unless they are exceptionally tolerant.
The turtle
Takes on no accountability and, when push comes to shove, vanishes from office and will not be found until the problem is effectively tackled. If you have a tendency to pass the buck when things get rough, but are the first to ask for a pat on the back when all is well, your employees may feel that they aren’t able to trust you to support them and their careers.
The copycat
Very similar to the turtle, you take the credit for other people’s work or ideas and pass them off as your own. You take credit for the good and pass blame for the bad. This is probably one of the worst, and most often reported, traits of a bad boss.
The micro-manager
This is when you believe you know how others should do their job; you can’t trust people to just get on with their jobs and, instead, and micro-manage everything they do. You expect every email and every ‘phone call to be noted in daily reports or, in some cases, you expect every email to be cc-ed to you so you can pinpoint the slightest mistakes.
The psychic
You expect your employees to be able to read your mind. “What do you think I’d do in this situation?” is your favourite question. To anticipate your every need before you have even had a chance to express it isn’t possible for your employees to do. If you consistently expect your employees to know what is next, but don’t do a good job of providing the context to make sure that they can be successful, you are setting them up to fail.
The fear-monger
“You are not indispensable! I can fire you anytime!” If you motivate by fear more than any other tactic, this shows you lack the leadership skills necessary to do the job. You are probably intimidated, or unsure about how to get results without relying on threats or other fear-mongering. Well, you need to know one thing; your employee can leave and will cause your organisation more harm.
The potty mouth
We’re all stressed out at some point, but if you cannot communicate a problem or concern without berating or yelling, you are missing key management skills and won’t keep highly qualified employees for long. Bad leaders don’t provide the air time for staff to respond to accusations and comments; they intimidate people and allow other employees to bully team members.
The uncaring
If you couldn’t care less about an employee’s family emergency, or are on the ‘phone to your employee in their hospital bed asking when they’ll be back at work, you don’t care about their wellbeing. When you pass remarks like, “Why are you always sick?” or “Why is your mum sick again?” an employee is likely to leave to find another boss with compassion and basic human respect.
The wishy-washy
The worst bosses collect all the information and still can’t make a choice. When a boss is not a good leader, ramifications can go beyond just whether the decisions at hand are good or bad. If you do not have the courage to deal with a difficult situation, despite knowing that it is the right thing to do, your employees are in for a rough ride.
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