It is often said that people don’t quit an organisation, they leave a bad boss! Infact, a Gallup poll confirms that in cases where an employee leaves an organisation voluntarily, 75% of the time, it is to get away from a bad boss! While the percentage may vary in different countries or even in different regions, but the bad boss remains the No. 1 reason why people resign across the world.
Bad bosses come in various types and both genders, but they all have one thing in common – they drive their subordinates crazy enough to such an extent that the subordinate is forced to take the last step!
So, what are the commonly found types of bad bosses? Let us find out.
Puppets
This is the most widely found variety of bosses. Just like a puppet, they don’t have their own opinion, never stand for what is right and never support the team when they need it the most. All they care about is safeguarding their position in the eyes of their bosses. They are loyal only to their boss but are least bothered about their team. Their motto is “success is mine, failure is yours”. This lack of loyalty towards the team pushes the subordinate to the brink forcing them to take that ultimate step!
Godzilla
The moment such people become bosses, they forget from where they came. Overnight they develop this superiority complex and get a feeling that whatever they do is right and everything else is wrong! They love belittling their subordinates over non-existent or minuscule things. The first thing that they do is creating a pedestal that shouts out loud “I am the boss, respect me!”
Emperor
Such bosses believe that the entire organisation moves around them and nothing can move without their consent. Most behave as if they are the owners of the company and have a majority or rather 100% stake! They love to take decisions unilaterally, don’t care about subordinate’s views, opinions or even bother to give feedback. For them, it is always “my way or the highway.”
Ringmasters
Just like the circus ringmaster, such bosses believe in controlling their subordinates. Their words hurt just like the circus ringmaster’s hunter. But unlike the circus tiger that gets a prize for following the ringmaster, subordinates don’t get any prizes, instead, more hunter slaps await them. Most of them have a bad habit of keeping a tab on their subordinates every movement and even boast of being “Bond, James Bond” in their subordinate’s lives!
But then, if there is evil in the world, there is good too! The world probably is still alive and working because of leaders and not bosses.
For every one bad boss, there are 10 leaders. But how do they look like?
M from Bond
James Bond’s boss in the movies is ‘M’. She is the one who always boosts the morale of her employee no. 1, James Bond, encouraging him to give his best shot. She is not only confident herself, but even knows the potential of her subordinates. She believes in James’s potential and allows him to unleash it fully.
Thakur from Sholay
Thakur is handicapped and knows that he cannot pin down Gabbar on his own. So, he relies on his subordinates, Jai & Viru, to do the actual job. Very few bosses know their self-potential, but the ones who do, are darlings of their subordinates. Bosses like Thakur are strategic thinkers and share their ideas with their subordinates regularly. They are even open to criticism and take it in the right spirit. With such bosses around, catching hold of Gabbar or any other gargantuan task is easy for the subordinates.
Kabir Khan from Chak De! India
Kabir Khan is omnipresent in the lives of his hockey team. He decides almost everything for them. But when it comes to the decisive battle the subordinates realise that their boss was preparing them for the ultimate battle. Most subordinates realise that their boss is like Kabir Khan when they are confronted with a complex situation. The time they spent listening to their ‘tough’ boss gets transformed into training in an instant and they manage to get out of the situation with flying colours. Most often, bosses like Kabir Khan don’t even take credit for what they have done!
Bhuvan from Lagaan
Bhuvan is just first amongst equals. While he is the leader of the Champaner cricket team, he acts and behaves as just one of them. Though the rest of the team members know that Bhuvan is the captain of the team, Bhuvan never shows his authority in any way whatsoever. He supports the team at all times, stands by them in difficult times and is also just one of them when it comes to celebrating victories. Bhuvan never takes credit for the success, but owns up the responsibility for failures!
It is a fact that no two people are alike. Hence even no two superiors will be alike. But the options available for bosses are clear. If you too lead a team, then the million-dollar question you should ask yourself is what would you like to be remembered as – a boss or as a leader?
But makes sure, you answer this question sincerely!
