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Bad Bosses Can Ruin People

July 29, 2008 RSS Feed Print

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GL Hoffman

Bad bosses ruin people. They are demanding, impolite, crude; they take too much credit and are adept at making our work lives a living hell. People can get "ruined"—OK, a bit melodramatic, that—because they start thinking that this how bosses operate.

Bad bosses destroy value—in their companies and communities but mostly in their people. The effects of a bad boss linger on a person's attitude over an entire career, like the smell of the dead skunk I almost ran over this weekend.

There is a difference between tough and bad. A tough boss is demanding in standards, a bad one belittles others. Tough insists on deadlines, bad plays favorites. Tough leads where people don't want to go, bad follows and takes credit.

Here is an example of a bad boss: In this city, there was a fast-growing start-up that was involved in the large-scale printing business. It was a public company, sales were increasing more than 100 percent each year, and all was good. But...

The boss had an ongoing affair with one of his officers—never mind that his wife also worked for the company. Plus, he was an out-of-control screamer. He would get all up in someone's face and just let him have it. Bad.

That's not even the worst. At trade shows, he would pay a bounty if his salespeople would steal things from competitors: $100 for the carpet, $20 for a chair, $50 for a box of literature. Way bad.

I am sure some of you have had a bad boss. Tell me about yours. Next week, I will give you some ideas on what you can do if you get a bad boss.

BTW, the above company went bankrupt, and the boss basically got run out of town, I kid you not. Justice for all.

G.L. Hoffman is a serial entrepreneur and venture investor/operator/incubator/mentor. Two of his companies have traveled the entire success path from the garage to IPO. Currently, he is chairman of JobDig, and his blog can be found at WhatWouldDadSay.com or at JobDig.com.

Tags:: management,; careers

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How sad of a day when a person can sue Mcdonalds
due to she dropped hot coffie on herself. ( it is coffie yas coffie is hot ) but a self center BOSS can lie,
just dream up things in his own mind I have had people ask me customers, who does he think he is
what is his problem.what is he on ? it makes him feel big to make others feel small and he's good at it. he can take your income your house payment
food off you table.after 6 years working for this big rich company....and he will sleep well at night.I do know one day this bigger than life man will stand be-4 a judge the judge of all men ( by the way he done not think it's a GOD ) and all his lies and treatment of other will come out and at this day he will know he's not powerful, in the end GOd will win Mr.B so keep up your power trip...and that big house you talk so much of and the wonderful life and your wonderful never done any wrong family... a man can only rule but so long. your may fool the world BUT NOT GOD.
TO TAKE A BROKEN HEART AND USE IT FOR SELF GAIN
AS I TRY TO PRAY FOR YOUR SOUL, AND IT'S HARD BUT
MR B FORM NC / PA/ W.VA... GOD HELP YOU FOR ONE DAY YOU WILL STAND BE-4 HIM...AND ALL MEN WILL KNOW THE TRUTH. TO GAIN THE WORLD BUT TO LOSE YOUR SOUL WHO SAD MR B.... AS I TOLD YOU PEOPLE PAY AND KARMA DOES HIT HOME...AND WHEN IT DOES THINK OF THE LAST WORD I LOOKED YOU IN THE FACE AND SAID WHAT YOU DO TO OTHER COMES BACK.GOD HELP YOU....AND YOUR MOTHER SHOULD HAVE WASHED YOUR MOUTH OUT WITH SOAP. NO LIES IN HEAVEN AND THE SAD PART YOU FOOL SO MANY. I TOOK IT FROM YOU AS I HAD TO HAVE A JOB BUT THE BOSS BE-4 YOU PAYED AS YOU AND ALL THE COMPANY KNOWS THE FED'S GOT MR
C. TAKING SAMPLES THAT WAS FOR CUSTOMERS IS STILLING AS I SEE IT.....THE COMPANY DID NOT MAKE
LCW SAMPLES FOR YOU NOT TO HAVE TO BUY THEM.BUT I GUESS WHAT EVER...YOU GOT A JOB . I DON'T.. UP SET YES I WILL TELL MANY ACCOUNTS FOR YOU MR B

THE LAST LUNCH / A LIE OF A TIRE SORRY FOR BEING ON THE PHONE ALL DAY of NC 1:12AM July 01, 2009

JUST WHEN YOU THINK WHAT COULD GO WRONG NEXT. kNOWING YOU HAVE A BAD BOSS THAT LOVES POWER..HE LIVES TO CUT PEOPLE DOWN, MR.B (I'LL CALL HIM )
FOR EVERYONE THING THAT HE TELLS YOU. HE MUST TELL FIVE LIES HE IS A DRAMA KING. SUCKS UP TO HIS BOSS ACTS LIKE HE IS SO NICE TO HIS BOSS. AND HAS SAID I WANT HIS JOB.! SO KEEP YOUR EYE ON HIM MR.C YOU MAY FIND YOURSELF OUT OF A JOB LIKE I DID. MAYBE AT THIS POINT YOU WILL SEE THE REAL TRUTH.WHEN YOU ALSO HAVE NO JOB. I'M SURE HE'S WORKING ON HIS CASE TO SEE YOU GO.THIS MAN HAS DONE SOMETHING TO ME I WILL NEVER GET OVER AND MY LAST WORD TO HIM WAS YOU PAY FOR WHAT YOU DO TO PEOPLE IT WILL COME BACK TO YOU.HE TO IS A LEGAN IN HIS OWN MIND. TO HEAR HIM TELL IT PEOPLE CALL HIM EVERY DAY ASKING HIM TO COME TO WORK FOR THEM.
HE MAKES ME SICK. HE'S A REAL NUT CASE AND MR.B AND THE TRUTH DO NOT KNOW EACH OTHER. SEEMS LIES DO PAY OFF HE STILL HAS A PAY CHECK...AND I DON'T
HE ALSO CAN PAY HIS BILLS.SO LOOKS LIKE YOU CAN LIE TREAT OTHERS LIKE YOU WANT AND IT PAYS OFF
HE WOULD GIVE UP HIM RIGHT ARM AND 1 ST BORN TO LOOK GOOD AND MOVE UP.HOW SICK BUT THE TRUTH WILL COME OUT.MR B. FROM NC I KNOW THIS MAKES YOU FEEL LIKE A BIG MAN.. TO RUN OVER AND CUT PEOPLE DOWN
AT THE LOWEST POINT IN MY LIFE.

X WORKER FOR WO of NC 11:47PM June 30, 2009

There is too much to tell, but this guy is bad news. I have read things on here that sound so much like him it's crazy...Someone get back to me on this.....A boss should complain up rather than down to emplye under him right????I'll be back to post more on htis guy..

Lawnman of NC 2:59AM January 31, 2009