Bad Bosses on Notice

Link: Business: Now the rank and file are ranking.

Articles like this make me so happy. The essence of it is that the internet is providing a way for workers to hold their bosses accountable for their behavior: now, if bosses are control freaks, abusive jerks, or just plain clueless, their employees have a variety of places on the web to "out" them anonymously. (The one mentioned in the article that intrgues me most is eBossWatch.com, where employees get to "rate" their boss on 6 criteria.)

The article also asks why there are so many bad bosses, and concludes that a big reason is the habit of promoting people into management simply because they're good at doing their jobs. Some of you know this is particular pet peeve of mine (I rant about it at some length in my ChangeThis manifesto), so I was pleased to see it here.

The article concludes that people are less willing to put up with bad bosses than they used to be - and that, as the boomers age and there are fewer talented workers available, businesses with poor managers will suffer increasingly from a brain drain of their best workers.

So, my question to you is, do you have a bad boss? If so, what's your plan -- put up with it, try to change him/her, or leave?

Comments

[Joyce Martin]

What I am about to say may sound ugly, but sooner or later, we will all be there.

Mean spirited bosses are out there. I had a circumstance so bad that I had to consult an employment law attorney (Don Sessions).

He recommended that I contact a company (Documented Reference Check/badreferences.com) that uses Court Reporters to find out what your past employer tells potential employers.

Now, I busted the creep, supervisor. However, the HR Dept was very nice (once they had proof). They fired my ex-supervisor for defaming me and compensated me for all the days I was out of work. I found work within two months.

[Erika Andersen]

Joyce,

So glad it turned out well for you in the end...

And good for you for not letting him get away with it. Employees everywhere thank you!

Warmly,
Erika