I’ve been asking people if they ever had a boss they hated.
The follow up question, “How did you deal with them?” The first thing they usually say, “I avoided them.”
Hated bosses:
- Disenfranchise by hanging with other bosses and ignoring “the troops.” Snobbery, even if it’s unintentional, is off putting.
- Deflate when trying to motivate. They shame, make negative comparisons, and belittle, for example.
- Demoralize with favoritism. Quality of work is irrelevant when the boss has a golden child.
- Dishearten with disengagement and laziness. You’d be surprised how frequent the complaint of laziness comes up.
- Devalue effort by ignoring progress.
- Discourage by changing direction in midstream.
- Disappoint by excluding. They make decisions in isolation. Seldom seek input. Talk first and listen last.
Bonus: Hated bosses won’t make decisions.
Visit Facebook to read, “Top reasons people hate their bosses include _________.” (8/29/2013)
How to be loved:
- Win! Define wins. Create wins. Celebrate wins. Everybody loves a winner. What’s today’s win?
- Inspire belief. Help people believe in themselves, the team, the future. Loved leaders bolster belief.
- Talk about where we’re going, constantly. Work becomes drudgery if all it is work. Vision gives sweat purpose. Create a future.
- Spend more time creating happiness. Negative environments happen; positive require focused effort. One negative comment weighs three times as much as a positive. Smile more. Cheer more.
- Avoid the importance trap. Make others feel important. You matter most when you make others matter. Show respect rather than demanding it.
- Give away all the credit. Yes, all! Focus on what they’re doing, not what you’re doing. Don’t pat yourself on the back. It’s pathetic.
- Tell people what you want. Everyone hates self-protective, cowardly bosses who never get to the point.
What do “hated” bosses do?
How can leaders be more loved?