“Rapport with the boss largely predicts risk for depression and other psychiatric problems in the workplace,” says Brad Gilbreath of Indiana University-Purdue University in Fort Wayne. His study, published in the journal Work and Stress and reported in Psychology Today this month, found that a worker’s relationship with the boss was almost equal to his relationship with his spouse when it comes to the impact on his well-being. A rewarding job or even good relationships with coworkers cannot compensate for a negative relationship with the boss.
According to Psychology Today, “Surveys show that up to half of all workers have a shaky, if not downright miserable, relationship with their supervisors.”
A Gallup report is equally blunt about this, “Employees leave their supervisors, not companies.” This is the number one reason people leave a company, more than compensation or work hours.
If you are a boss, let this serve as a wake up call.
My work as a leadership consultant made me aware this was the main reason people left companies. I was initially surprised about the health impact of bad bosses, but upon reflection I fully concurred with the findings.
Business gurus and consultants have been hyping the War for Talent for several years. Companies are desperately trying to identify and recruit talent. But few companies think reflectively and deeply about why they can’t keep talent. I’ve found that many are very dismissive of the people who leave.
- They weren’t the right fit.
- We always knew that they probably wouldn’t work out.
- It’s just the business that we’re in.
- I can’t believe they wanted more money.
In all these excuses, the theme is that the worker was the problem. But the research demonstrates that this is largely not the case.
The Gallup surveys and Brad Gilbreath’s work confirm that the number one reason for employee turnover and, perhaps, the number one reason for lower than expected work productivity is not workers, but bosses. It also appears that poor boss performance may affect the long term health of company employees, and that will become a financial issue.
I’ve observed four types of bad bosses.
The first is the true boss from hell, mean spirited and powerful, who uses his position and authority to intimidate and use people. Yes, there is still such abuse in business today, especially in privately held enterprises.
The second is the functionally incompetent boss. He may be well-intentioned, but his lack of leadership and management skill eventually creates such confusion and turmoil that people are exhausted.
The third is the emotionally incompetent boss. I remember a hallway conversation between a colleague and his boss: As the colleague pleaded and tried to explain about a coworker who was struggling, the boss just stared blankly, chuckled, and then moved on to other business. You could confront this leader with his problem all day long, but in the end he would still be in denial. Daniel Goleman describes this as a lack of emotional intelligence (a key predictor of leadership effectiveness).
The fourth is the positional boss. These bosses are often found in professional service organizations. They are in these positions, not because of proven ability to lead and manage, but because of seniority or standing as partners. Often these bosses are detached, seeking to do the minimum to protect their own compensation formulas. They allow conditions to continue in their companies that are adverse to others as long as they do not suffer personally in the short run. Aside from their own personal interests, decision making is always about the numbers, and not about the people.
And there are combinations of the above.
- Are you described in any of these categories? How do you know?
- How about your boss?
- What do you do if you are working for a bad boss? How is it affecting your health?
- Discuss how I Timothy 2:1-2 [New International Version] might be one of the things that you can do in relationship to a leader.
I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone — for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness.
If you are a boss, read Proverbs 27:23-24 [New International Version].
Be sure you know the condition of your flocks, give careful attention to your herds; for riches do not endure forever, and a crown is not secure for all generations.
- Do you really know the condition of your people?
- Do you really give careful attention to your people?
- Your compensation (riches) and your position (crown) are not secure all by themselves. It is the people you lead who ultimately produce the results. Do you recognize that?
- If you were the subject of the survey and were recognized as the source of turnover, employee dissatisfaction, and poor employee health, how would you respond?
Comments (25)
Great Article
WOW!!! This article really made my day. First of all, I am sad to come to the realization that bosses out there are like this, that they abuse their position. I recently read a book called "The Devil Wears Prada". Sadly I related very much. I truely think that I am where I am for a reason. That God is testing my endurance, perseverance & patience. I am working very hard towards opening my own business one day, and vow to treat my employees with the highest degree of respect.
Thanks for your encouragement
To "sickofwork":
Thanks for the encouragement that your commitment is to us at InsideWork. Your character and convictions will be shaped by being tested in tough work situations. I know that my own habits and commitments as a business leader were shaped by tough times and sometimes, bad leaders.
Your commitment to treating future employees with the highest degree of respect will produce not only business results, but also a life legacy measured by the many lives you will have permanently influenced.
Now that’s being salt and light!
my take on this article
I enjoyed reading about "The Boss from Hell". Like sickofwork, I also have a supervisor who vexes me. She is barely able to perform her duties as a supervisor, and has problems communicating with employees.
This isn’t a lost cause, however, as her behavior teaches me several lessons.
First, learn your job. Know what’s expected of you in your position, and strive to be the best. Also, know when to step down if you know you can’t do the job.
Second, communicate! Talk to, not at, the employees. Be encouraging when needed, and learn how to correct and direct those who need it.
Bad bosses can be good examples of what you SHOULD do.
hello
Really amazing! Keep working. I enjoyed me visit.
Boss from Hell
I recently left a company because of the boss from hell.
Well after giving a few more chances to my boss, including prayer, things got worse. Nothing any of us did would measure up. Make a typo on a work instruction, he marks it up and puts it in your file. Miss a couple lines on a seven hundred row by twenty column spread sheet, he marks it up and puts it in your file. "I’m not interested in excuse, we have to be perfect" is his mantra.
Well, with my oldest son getting married and the younger one threatening to move out. I put my resume out, and had some interviews, two in Tennessee and one in Texas. I got a job offer with a former co-worker for the same salary and a great relocation package to Clarksville, Tennessee. The hours will be longer but it is in a field that will better use my talents and knowledge. The wife went down there with me to look at houses and likes the area.
I have given my notice and told my boss that my last day will be August 4, 2006. I was asked to start cleaning out my desk and get prepared to leave. (The HR Manager and General Manager questioned this.) He also had his password installed on my PC for his convenience. (I discovered that he was searching through my PC one evening to see what my Internet surfing activities were over the past 12 months.)
At the behest of the General Manager and the HR Manager had an exit interview. I did not "burn bridges". I credited sixty per cent of the reason for leaving was the job that I had little or no experience in and the stress of dealing with the union. The other forty per cent was my direct manager. I couched in the terms that the gentleman needed training in dealing constructively with people with diverse backgrounds and skills. He also needed to realize that trying to "nail" people who make mistakes is not the way to succeed in business and life. I also told the HR Manager that during my tenure with him that I sought professional help and medication to cope with the job.
I went back to work and have managed to stay busy for the remainder of my tenure at the old company.
On Monday, 7 August, I started a new chapter in my life. I am excited and ready to start writing it.
Thank, Sparky56
for your candid sharing. I appreciate the fact that you attempted to prayerfully and carefully work out the situation. Then when there was no other alternative, that you made the courageous decision to move on. Many are too afraid to make this decision, to their own long term detriment. I also appreciated that you tried to not burn any bridges. This is very important, not only relationally, but also for your own integrity, conscience, and reputation.
I wish you the best. It is amazing how after leaving such a situation you realize that there really are places to work that are good … not perfect, but good for you and all in involved.
good article
Mostly, its not the pay packet that matters.There are times when you need appreciation but your boss will undervalue your performance.. which will eventually lead to lack of faith in the management and company.In the ultimate analysis, it boils down to something simple: sense of belonging to the place we work in. This can neither be bought nor taught. It either is there or isn’t. And if it isn’t, it is much better to look elsewhere rather than accept oneself as a square peg in a round hole or vice-versa. If personal satisfaction is the bottomline then all one needs to do is to step out and seek it, wherever one can find it. No amount of grumbling would yield it, anyway. Or do you think, otherwise?
Boss from hell
Excellant article. In this modern world the art of Management has become a part and parcel of everyday life, be it at home, in the office or factory and in Government. In all organizations, where a group of human beings assemble for a common purpose irrespective of caste, creed, and religion, management principles come into play through the management of resources, finance and planning, priorities, policies and practice. Management is a systematic way of carrying out activities in any field of human effort. Management need to focus more on leadership skills, e.g., establishing vision and goals, communicating the vision and goals, and guiding others to accomplish them. It also assert that leadership must be more facilitative, participative and empowering in how visions and goals are established and carried out. Some people assert that this really isn’t a change in the management functions, rather it’s re-emphasizing certain aspects of management.
Its task is to make people capable of joint performance, to make their weaknesses irrelevant, says the Management Guru Peter Drucker. It creates harmony in working together - equilibrium in thoughts and actions, goals and achievements, plans and performance, products and markets. It resolves situations of scarcity, be they in the physical, technical or human fields, through maximum utilization with the minimum available processes to achieve the goal. Lack of management causes disorder, confusion, wastage, delay, destruction and even depression. Managing men, money and materials in the best possible way, according to circumstances and environment, is the most important and essential factor for a successful management.
I have a boss from heaven now…
the article is 100% on point and speaks the truth of how many corporations see the employee ass the problem and not the manager. During my 4.5 year stint in Corporate America, I had two bosses from hell. One eventually went on maternity leave and quit after all of her flaws and true colors surfaced during her sabbatical. The next boss from hell was far worse, because she had the finesse to make my working life a living hell and get away with it. During my last 9 months with job, I obtained this supervisor from a promotion, which I regret I ever accepted. Before then, I worked directly with a VP who I had a very positive working relationship with and allowed me to work independently and was fair and lead by example. The mid-level manager I was assigned to was the Devil, but she definitely did not wear Prada… try Ann Taylor.. she was coniving, serpent-like, and was great at keeing her cool, and maintaining a goody-two-shoes-image, until finally cursing me in a meeting which was one of my final straws. She believed that work was a game of sorts, and I was supposed to play along. Instead of informing me of her expectations and details of projects, she felt that I should be psychic and figure out what she wanted. She was very vindictive and would play the typical bait and switch method that bad bosses do: give unrealistic deadlines for assignments and then constantly change them in the hopes that you would miss them and add that to you file. If the deadlines were met, she would make sure to note that the project was completed incorrectly and would make sure to blind copy senior management on all of her critical emails. She didn’t take managing someone seriously either. She would set regular meeting between me and her and when it was time to leave, she would make me wait, while she finished chatting with another colleague about weight watchers and other irrelevant drivel. Because she had an excellent raport with our VP and did her own work very well, she went on a campaign to damage my credibility and my image, giving the perception that I was "imploding" had temperament issues and was not a team player. All the while, she was doing everything in her paower to make me tick. She was also the ultimate micromanager. She would try and force me to copy her on all work related emails, and I had to write reports on my assignments on a daily basis, most of which she never read. Towards the end, she decided to go full throttle, and she made sure to give the perception that I lacked total competence in all assignments specifically related to her, and for all projects not related to her, she worked with others to try and sabotage. The final element was a clothing drive I worked on for our building. During this time, I was working with organizations to donate the clothing to and stored them in an office until it was time for shipping. At that time, the Office Coordinator (who was in cohoots with my supervisor) informed her that the clothing was there, and she directly went to our VP and told her thatI did not complete my project properly, and basically blew the entire scenario out of proportion, just for the sake of trying to mar my credibility one final time. I was applying for jobs during the entire summer, and although I didn’t accept any job offers I recieved during that time (four to be exact). I resinged about a week after and never looked back. I now work for a boss, who is a good communicator, honest, respectful, and leads by example. Before I left she told me that "This is the way it is, all places are like this". Well I am happy to tell this lawyer that she was 100% wrong, and demons like her are the exception, not the rule.
Excellent article
The management is a process of aligning people and getting them committed to work for a common goal to the maximum social benefit - in search of excellence. Major functions of a manager are planning, organizing, leading and coordinating activities — they put different emphasis and suggest different natures of activities in the following four major functions..
The critical question in all managers’ minds is how to be effective in their job. The answer to this fundamental question is found in the Bhagavad-Gita, which repeatedly proclaims that "you must try to manage yourself." The reason is that unless a manager reaches a level of excellence and effectiveness, he or she will be merely a face in the crowd.
Right on the head
I am a firm believer in Managing by Emotional Intelligence, unfortunately my manager is not that way. I have suffered and still suffer major medical problems since he has been my boss — both physical and severe emotional issues. I have been sick more than I used to be. He ignores my requests for reasonable accommodations and has been asked to respond. Two months later nothing. Does this mean that he doesn’t care or that he thinks I will forget. My request is backed up by medical requests. One would think this would be a priority. Is it?
I also know of another boss at our agency who has been so bad that in one Unit she chased out 5 people ( office of 8 ) and the new unit that they ‘MOVED HER TOO’ has had 3 people leave so far. Rather than dealing with her poor supervisor style they move her. Tainting another office. You would think that higher levels would see a pattern here, but they do nothing. Why? Who knows but they are chasing people off that have worked in their positions for multiple years — many who have retired just to get away from her. I have a complaint from 1997 when she screamed at me in front of other staff…very unprofessional, as well as acting out in front of High levels. I guess a brick wouldn’t even help at this point.
I’m going to share you excellent article with many that I know have suffered. I hope it will help.
the boss from hell
Sadly, as a boss of a very small company, I can report that I have an employee from hell. Employees can leave a job they do not like, but with employment law as it is in the UK, it is almost impossible to sack someone. I might end up selling the company and letting someone else have him!!
boss from hell
As a Union official in the Federal workforce we realize that we have good employee and bad employee. We also realize we have good supervisors and bad supervisors. I have found over my 30 yrs of experience when we have a bad employee the Agency goes to great lengths and expense to have that employee removed. I have also found when we have a bad supervisor with many complaints, greviances, EEO’s and rapid and continuous turnover the Agency turns a blind eye to that individual. It proves the all statement of the "The Golden Rule". He who has the gold rules. It is a sad day for all employee who have to live though and tolerate bad supervisors. It affects their physical and mental health. I hope the American people both the professional and not professional workforce realize the importance of UNION’s. Though Unions existed originally for safety and fair working conditons the Labor movement most begion to focus on economically cost of bad supersvisions for all.
I have a boss from hell
I recently landed a great job in marketing and thought it was going to be so much fun, and it was - if only I had a different boss. She is the worse boss I have ever had in my 20years of working. She is domineering, mean and arrogant all at the same time. Nothing I do is good enough, and constantly puts me down. She micromanages me to the point where I have to write down everything I do and the time it will take me to do. I don’t think people realise how much affect a boss from hell can have on them. I have no self confidence anymore, I rarely socialize at work and am constantly trying to defend myself. After 6months of this, I applied for another job in the same company and was offered the role. When I told management of my intention to leave they are now begging me to stay and we will "sort" the boss out. My boss from hell is actually happy I am considering leaving and could not stop smiling…
Functionally Incompetent Boss
my boss proclaim himself a listener, adopts the company open door policy and welcomed feedback. We are all encourageto provide feedback and that there would not be any repercussion.. The true is, when negative feedback is provided, he is in denial and gave excuses to defend himself and pushing it back to those who raise the feedback. He changes the dept organogram at his own whip, playing musical chairs among the managers, creating idiocratic reporting structure that really "creates such confusion and turmoil that people are exhausted." His favourite response to people who provides negative feedback is "the onus is yours to find a better job then", Infuriating. The only reason I am staying put despite being in his black book/list is the good pay
Satan Incarnate
I once worked for probably the most evil boss on the face of this earth. My company was opening up a branch office in Switzerland and my skills qualified me for a position on the staff. So I packed up my family and over we went, based on a promise of two years’ employment in that position. Once we got over there, the games started. Our relocation allowance was about 1/5 of the Boss’, even though our family was larger. We were denied reimbursement for resettlement expenses because "your receipts are not in order". Our cost of living adjustment, despite previous assurances, was insufficient to make up for the extreme cost of living in Switzerland. I was told not to spend so much time associating with members of my church community because it would damage the company image. I was chastised for not drinking at social events for the same reason. Even though he knew I was a non-smoker, this demon would deliberately smoke huge cigars when we were in a car together. Other members of my company were provided with Audi 100’s as a perk… I was given a tin can Ford Escort. At technical presentations, the boss would make outrageous claims about our product, and if I set the record straight (by telling the truth) I was written up and reprimanded. The last straw came when he told me I was spending too much time and attention on my family and that I would be required to work evenings and weekends from then on. I refused on moral grounds. He fired me, despite our contract. I asked him, "So you’re changing the rules?" He replied, "Yes, I’m changing the rules." A couple of weeks later the president of the company, equally a weasel, came over and I had a chance to interview with him. He told me I had been fired because "I broke my contract." We packed up and came home, and sued the company for breach of contract. They settled with just enough to make us about even financially. About a month later, the president of the company was fired also, but his "golden parachute" gave him a tremendous windfall. Several months later, my satanic boss also got the sack. The company ultimately folded. All this was 20 years ago, but I still remember the experience of working for such a horrible boss - thanks for letting me vent! This was a tremendous article.
I absolutely agree
It is true that employees leave managers not companies. Why is it taboo to speak out against bad managers? Why do incompetent CEOs receive golden parachutes and move on to higher paid positions? There is something inherently wrong with this process.
Help!
I’ll probably kick myself Monday for this because my place has a strange way of knowing what you do on your PC-either email or web surfing. (at home that is) My superior has a way of not talking to me and when I’m don’t bother with his "cohorts" he tends to start to alienate me altogther. His cohorts are subordinates who he eats lunch with and spends after hours with. He made quite clear he doesn’t like me or want me on the team. I deal with it. Alot of negative remarks from his staff, and he proclaims, "I don’t like negativity!"
Everyday is a struggle with him. Its to the point, I don’t communicate anymore period. Its a "shutdown." And he caused it.
Shortest job ever held
I lasted to the final day of my probation. I had been hired to replace my supervisor, who had been promoted to a more complex job. Unfortunately I don’t think I was *her* choice, for I was treated either as "The Invisible Woman" or "idiot child." Not once did she ever say hello, good morning or have a good weekend. The only time she spoke to me was to point out an error. She mocked my efforts to others within my earshot. And it was her reporting to the administrator that led to my being let go as a "bad fit" for the job. I found out later she had done the same thing at least twice before. She was brusque, rude, lacked any mentoring skill (or interest in it) but nobody dared take her on. She had seniority up the wazoo. At least my blood pressure has returned to normal.
I Am A Boss Who Struggles
In many aspects I do not fall into the "Boss from Hell" category; however, in the Functionally Incompetent, I unfortunately do. I manage a wonderful office and truly love what I do and the staff I work with. I won’t pass the buck and take full responsibility for my actions, but I will say that the owner of our small business continually changes his mind, changes our benefits, flip back and forth, changes what he wants us to and not do, so I don’t have anywhere near a solid job description or goal to work with, much less a solid forecast or statement to pass along to the staff I manage. I feel more mixed up than a rubixcube! As far as mental and physical health - our CEO has definately had an affect on me. I’ve found though that the one thing as a Christian that God requires of us is to remain in a state of respect and honor to those in a position of authority over us, regardless of what they do to us, until it’s in His time to move us along. If we step out of a place of Honor by speaking ill of those who test our patience (Bosses from Hell!) and don’t turn them over to God (vengence is the Lord’s), then is shuts us off from God’s flow for mercy, grace and blessing. We also need to think of everything they’re going through and understand that they may not realize half the crap they’re doing. If they do - even more reason to pray for them. God said to pray for those who despitefully use you. Take it easy on them - a little mercy and grace goes a long ways.
The bossiest boss from hell
I gotta tell ya, right now my boss has me on the run and totally wore out. Mentally, physically and spiritually. It’s my great misfortune to have had five female bosses in a row that are/were bosses from hell. Women bosses have gotten worse and worse over the last ten or fifteen years. Why is that?
My current boss micormanages the hell right out of me. I have been employed within this new Ministry for about 11 months (by Ministry I mean government). I was not offered training when I first came on board. It was evident from the beginning I annoyed the hell out of my boss, but for what I reason, I knew not. It started about a month after I started working there. She asked me to do a task on the computer, that I had never done before. I took the challenge on, no complaints, no attitude. I wanted to see for myself if I could perform the task. You know, if I could figure out how it was done before I came along and if I had the software skills and knowledge to do it. In a two hour period, she stuck her head in my office three times to ask if I had the job completed, as the Director was waiting to see it. As I now know, the damn thing sits in her in-tray for a week or two!! But because I did not complete the task in the amount of time that she deemed acceptable, she viewed me as an incompetent. I did not know the job. Keep in mind, I was able to give her the final product by the end of day. Keep also in mind that in reality, there never was a rush for this document in the first place. It’s a monthly internal, newsletter that the ministry puts out. Since that day, she has picked at me for any and all mistakes I make. Most of my past female bosses came across the same way. You make waaay too many mistakes, they say. Ok, I say, like what? You forgot to give me the folder for mail to review at least two times in June!!! I mean, come on!!! I am so totally dishearted, discouraged, depressed, sad and for some reason upset with myself. I would leave this job, but moving around within the provincial government is not an easy task. The pay is good, the benefits are great. I just can’t mentally handle her anymore and this constant nit picking over my work and her condescending ways!!
Daniel Goleman’s research is generally not backed by the scientific community. (His theories aren’t quite provable.) Weak supporting statement.
Wonderful article. All people once in a while experience such bosses. I have one, a 20th Century boss, though is very young and has vast knowledge, but he always think downards, full of pessimism and negativity. He is afraid of his boss and his boss, hence he not put foward any cases whcih are meant for some benefit for his colleagues. He talks to much the age old management theories, which we could hear from some other sources 10 years ago. He made my like miserable - he sits for 12 hours a day and insisted me to sit with him, i developed sugar, back pain, stress, etc. etc. during these three years, but when comes the benefit, he shies away, i actually do not know what to do.
No joking? There are abusive and bullying bosses???
So we know the symptom. But what is the cure? In other words, if your supervisor is an overbearing, abusive bully what the hell can you do?
This hits me at home because I work for such an individual. My boss is cruel, course mannered, unfair and mean. He runs the department like a sweatshop. I cannot even use the bathroom except during lunch breaks. I made several recommendations, such as regularly scheduled breaks but he scoffled at them.
I would have quit years ago except that the economy is so crappy and I really need the money.
I’ve had the same boss for four years now. The first two where great. We were at a small start-up and I was amazed at how cohesive the group was as I have always had a boss from hell. Then we got swallowed by big pharma and it’s been downhill since. I don’t know the statistics behind Goldman’s research, but my experience indicates it’s true.
It all started when she wouldn’t let me train on a sensitive assay to perform my job. She got frustrated and put me on a two month program, then let me flail for six more weeks due to constantly changing the goals and refused to accept that my results were within the range others had seen (even to the extent of mocking me that "why can’t a sr. associate scientist do what an intern can do?") or acknowledge the group was dysfunctional in communication and cooperation.
I took it upon myself to discover that not only was she wrong about my performance, she was horribly mismanaging me and misrepresenting information to the project team.
End result: She’s throwing me under the bus to save herself. I spoke with her supervisor who gave me her support. Except something changed that no one will tell me, because now HR is involved and I’m being put on double secret probation. Needless to say, I’m looking for a job. Not because of the company or my compensation, but because my boss commutes to and from hell. Anybody need a molecular biologist? Cuz I’m available.
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