The Worst Boss Ever?
by Jack Francis
I am often asked for advice on the direction a person’s career should take. Rather than ask the questioner to describe their “best” job (which most people find hard to specify), I’ve found it of more benefit to ask them to tell me about their worst job – real or imagined.By analyzing what they find “bad” in these worst jobs, it’s possible to identify the qualities which they are really looking for in a “best” job. For example, if their worst job has a rigid dress code then maybe they should be looking for an occupation where they can dress casually.
Similarly, when advising managers on the qualities and skills they should develop, I often ask them to describe their “worst” boss. Highlighting the errors and faults of these bad managers, provides useful guidance on the areas where a manager can improve and what they should aspire to.
“G.W.” was my worst boss ever. Before you get too excited, let me tell you that this “G.W.” did not originate from the Lone Star state. This is not a revelation of presidential indiscretions or failings.
My “G.W” was the manager of the audit group I was assigned to when I first started training to be an accountant with one of the major accounting firms.
My most enduring memory of “G.W” is of his lack of cheer and good humor. I don’t think I ever heard him laugh and have no recollection of him even smiling. He was such a miserable man.
If there is any event that should bring a smile to your face, it’s the arrival of your firstborn. I was in the office on the day “G.W.’s” wife gave birth to their first child. On the day in question, we’d anticipated the happy news because “G.W.” was untypically late in arriving.
So did “G.W.” come into the office beaming with an unusual smile? Did he regale everyone in sight with the wonders of his newly born daughter? Did he chuckle over recollections of how cute she was? He did not.
“G.W.” just walked into his office as usual, without making a remark to anyone. It was two or three hours after his arrival and only after his assistant asked him a direct question that we received confirmation of his good news. Just the basic facts though; gender, time of birth, weight etc. And still not a smile!
So, are humor and cheerfulness qualities that managers should aspire to? I would argue that they are. There’s a lot of talk nowadays about how we, as managers, can improve our staff’s commitment and loyalty to our organizations. There is a call for us to be leaders.
Surely, a first step can be as simple as having a regular smile or revealing our humanity in the form of humor. I am not suggesting that managers become office jesters – not at all. But if we are as cheerless as “G.W”, how can we expect our team to believe that what we are doing is worthwhile, that we enjoy our work and that they can find it fun and worthwhile too?
Certainly “G.W” did not convince me and I transferred to another accounting firm to complete my training.
Why not take some time and write down a description of your worst boss? Go into some detail and give examples of the qualities and behaviors which made them a bad manager. Consider what you need to do in order to avoid being rated a “worst boss”.
