I have just finished watching the movie “Bad Bosses” with Kevin Spacey which is a black comedy about three employees driven to the point of despair (and eventually murder!) by seriously bad bosses, and I could not stop reflecting on such characters that we at Board Evaluation have encountered in our years of executive coaching.
Although the movie parodies extreme examples of bad behaviour, it nevertheless highlights the fact that sometimes, for a variety of different reasons, even good managers, or managers with good intentions, end up becoming figures of ridicule or even hate!
So, this is our compilation of the warning signs that you, as a ‘boss’, should be wary of:
• You are right about most things.
• You never receive bad news.
• You have become a bit of a celebrity and are regularly in the media.
• Board meetings bore you.
• You identify totally with the organisation.
• You are keen to have something named after you, eg a building, an award, etc…
• You are forever looking for that elusive big deal.
• Fewer and fewer things keep you up at night.
• You keep a scorecard of how many times you get headhunted.
• You constantly speak in the first person about company affairs, eg my vision, my plan, etc…
• You never tire of telling others about your successes
• Listening has become waiting to speak
Sounds familiar?
A final question for you to reflect on; what is it like to be led by you?