Horrible Bosses

Most of us that do not have the luxury of working for ourselves, have to answer to someone in a position of power and authority, otherwise known as a "boss" or "supervisor" or "team leader". Basically, it is the person responsible for hiring and firing us, and approving our time off that kind of good stuff. For most of us that have worked for more than five years, we have probably had to deal with a lot of different bosses. You get use to one boss, they move on and you have to deal with another. Some of those bosses, you just love, some you just love to hate. We have all been there, if you do not have a boss you love to hate, you are either lying to yourself or you are truly blessed.

Most of us have had a boss that make us just loathe coming in to work. We rejoice when they call in sick or take a vacation. We dread the alarm clock going off in the morning because we know its only a matter of time before we have to come in contact with BOSS HOG. It seems like there are more horrible bosses out there now than there are good ones, based on the conversations that I have had with several close friends and family members. We are often left scratching our heads and asking the question, "Who did this person sleep with to get this position?" "Why are they my boss?" and other questions such as those. Sound familiar yet?

The simple answer is, it does not matter. It does not matter how your boss got his or her job, the simple matter is they got the job and are now your leader. While we may not like it, that is the hand we were dealt. How do we deal with these leaders. One thing to remember when dealing with a horrible boss is this, Not every person is designed to be in a power of authority or in a leadership role. When some get it, it goes to their head and that power truly magnifies the true nature of a person.

What makes a good leader? A good leader is someone who has been there, meaning they been in the trenches with you. They were once an "hourly" employee or worked your position so they stay true to you. They do not put a bunch of expectations on you that are unrealistic because they know the job you are working so they know what the job entails. They are not gonna through a bunch of high expectations on you. A horrible boss is someone who makes a bunch of demands on you and has forgotten that only a short while ago, they were in the trenches and had to work just as hard, now all of a sudden they have selective amnesia and bark that either you get the job done, or you will be held accountable. A good leader is approachable. They are someone you can go to and voice your opinion without fear of repercussions. If they are doing something wrong, they ask for input. They ask for help. However a horrible boss, is never approachable and basically sits in an "ivory tower" while his worker bees are in the trenches doing the majority of the work. This boss is never around until his or her supervisor is around then and only then do you get praise. When you go to complain, the powers that be have difficulty believing you because the boss has done such a good job of playing smoke and mirrors that they just humor your complaint, report it back to your boss, and now your boss is making your life a living hell. Now you feel as if you can't make a complaint or make waves and you have been labeled as the "troublemaker". A giant bullseye is now being placed on your back.

What do you do? How do you deal with a boss who simply does not get it. The best answer, is to do your job an do it well. Do not let your boss be an excuse for you to be a slacker. You don't want to give any ammunition to your leader to coach you, write you up, or terminate you. Be at work at least 10 minutes before your shift. Document everything that happens at work. If your boss ask to meet with you, document the meeting. Save any emails that are sent to you. Save any emails that you send to your boss. You NEVER know when they will come in handy if you are accused of being difficult.

It is also important to remember to pray for your leader. Often time a person in a position of power is not ready for such a role. Their maturity levels and personalities are truly magnified when they get into that position. Often times, God puts a person in power to show you something. Either A, he is teaching you patience and endurance or B he is using it to move you out of that place. Ask him to reveal to you what is real. You may be surprised. God maybe using that boss as a stepping stone to promote you to that next level or move you into a higher position of power. Maybe he is moving you into that position and humbling you before you get that leadership role so you know what not to do.

If you just got promoted to a position of power, remember, a true leader is a humble leader that is open-minded, fair, and confident.Don't forget where you came from. You won't get anywhere by puffing out your chest, making unrealistic demands, and backbiting. Remember, you were once there and had a horrible boss, why do the same thing? God is testing you to see if you can truly handle the blessing he has given you.

CG2