The Marks of a Terrible Boss

Everyone has horror stories about bad bosses. Then when we become the boss, we tend to think that we're only doing what is necessary and, by the way, that employees cause all the problems. 

Thing is, part of a manager's job is to handle bad employees; an employee shouldn't have to handle a bad boss. So how do you know if you are one? Here are five signs that you're failing in your job as a manager. 

1. Your employees lie to you. This may sound like a bad employee problem, but why do they need to lie to you? Do you make unreasonable demands? Punish people excessively for mistakes? Interrogate them over why they need time off? These things all create a culture where your employees feel the only way they can get what they need is to lie. A culture of openness and understanding makes for employees who will speak honestly with you.

2. No other managers want to poach your employees. A good manager develops good employees. Other managers want good employees. If you are developing good employees, your peers will express interest in working with them. If you spend more time trying to get rid of bad employees than trying to keep your good ones, the problem may be with you.

3. You always have emergencies. Business is sometimes unpredictable. And clients? They're not always forthcoming with their true needs and desires. But the fact that things are unpredictable is, well, predictable. As a manager, it's your job to assess the situation and plan in advance. Occasional emergencies are understandable, but constant ones mean that you're not doing what you need to do. Sometimes that involves pushing back against your superiors and protecting your people. It means scheduling according to actual needs, and if you don't have the budget for that it often means changing the definition of need.

4. You always ask yourself "what can I legally do?" rather than "what should I do?" Yes, you have to follow the law. But just because you can tell an employee to cancel their vacation or stay late when they have plans doesn't mean you should. Just because you can fire someone for no reason whatsoever doesn't mean you should fire someone because you feel like it. 

5. You steal credit. Some managers try to impress their bosses by taking credit for everyone's work. This won't only backfire on you when your star employee quits and suddenly your boss is asking for all that work that "you" used to do, but will cause your employees to resent you. Managers are supposed to manage people. Showing that you are capable of hiring, developing, training, and guiding people who are doing great work is what your superiors want to see. 

Certainly this list is not exhaustive, but take a quick look at yourself and see if you fall into any of these categories. If so, stop it and change your behavior. You'll be surprised at how your employees respond to your improved management skills.

Creating the Philosophy of Advancement

If you spend enough time in the fast-paced high-tech industry, you'll notice a recurring theme among innovative entrepreneurs and successful executives. For the most part, they're "different." They question the status quo and take risks.

That's not all good, mind you.

It's not uncommon to hear someone say, "They broke the mold when they made him" after a particularly confrontational meeting with one of the "different" people, a statement which usually carries a note of awe mixed with overtones of relief that the meeting is over.

Just so we're clear, I'm not talking about a little unconventional thinking or eccentric behavior. I'm talking about people who are seriously "different." That means they can bring some unique and innovative ideas to a company -- if they don't self-destruct and take everyone down with them in the process.

In my experience, individuals capable of accomplishing big things often tend to be overly aggressive, demanding, egocentric and sometimes abusive. Most managers would therefore consider them to be problematic, especially in a team environment. And their concerns would indeed be justified.

As you might expect, many of these "different" folks go the entrepreneurial route, usually in response to corporate environments that don't easily or readily accommodate their unique styles and mixed baggage.

But contrary to what you might think, the vast majority does stick it out and climb the corporate ladder with varying degrees of success. How long that lasts and how successful they are depends very much on the particular environment, their toxicity to it, and whether their accomplishments ultimately outweigh the price organizations pay to keep them engaged and motivated.

Some companies, on the other hand, would just as soon not deal with them at all.

When I was a young Senior Principle Engineer at Computer Sciences Corporation, I remember one of our star performers -- his name was Bill -- telling me he was leaving the company. When I asked why, he said, "There's just no fast-track for star performers around here." Bill didn't mean it in an egotistical way; he was just stating the truth. And you know, he was right.

Now, don't get me wrong. CSC did have a program for identifying and rewarding young up-and-comers. There were stock grants and one-on-one meetings with top executives who talked about grooming you for the big time and all that. But for Bill, me and I presume others that simply did not cut it. The organizational structure was relatively inflexible. You climbed the corporate ladder at their pace, not yours.

For all I know, that's as it should be, at least for some companies; Texas Instrument’s current CEO, Rich Templeton, started there in 1980. And a quarter of a century later, he was running the show. Whether that's short or long is a subjective matter. But just about every member of Texas Instrument’s executive management team has been with the company that long. That's how TI rolls. And it is a great company.

That said, other companies have found a way not only to accommodate star performers, but mentor them in a way that accelerates their integration into the management ranks without stifling or dampening whatever it is that made them special in the first place.

If you want to create a culture that promotes innovation, where people who are different can thrive, there are five components you'll need for it to work. Just keep in mind; this is pretty much an all-or-none proposition. In other words, one weak link can blow the whole chain. That's just the way it is.

Identify them. First, you need to have a process for identifying these young up-and-coming stars. Train your line managers and recruiters on what to look for, and make that an integral part of the management and organizational review process so a short list of names is visible at all management levels. That's the first step.

Listen to them. If you actually have a dialog with these folks, you'll learn that they usually have tremendous distaste for the status quo and standard procedures. They probably think the usual rules don't apply to them. They'll want to work long hours, but where and when they want. They'll have a long list of things that "waste their time," like boring group meetings, having to report their every move, and company events. They'll want freedom from what they consider to be arbitrary constraints. It's important to listen, because they need to feel "heard."

Mentor them. Just because you listened, doesn't mean you give in. Be flexible if you can, but don't go too far. You see, they need discipline to realize their potential, but they need to be shown how it will benefit them and the company in the long run. You can't just say, "This is for your own good" and  expect them to comply. They're higher maintenance than that. You've got to show them the big picture, the great things the company intends to accomplish, and connect them to those big goals by giving them as much responsibility as they can handle.

Bet on them. This is really where the rubber meets the road. People who are entrepreneurial and innovative by nature need to take risks, and to do that inside a corporate environment means management has to take risks by betting on them. That doesn't mean betting the farm without any "adult supervision" or management oversight, but if you can live with a little less communication on what's going on day to day and keep upper management off their backs, all the better.

Maintain balance. For this kind of culture to work, you can't have unbridled flexibility and hands-off management. You've got to have balance. Imagine a company as a human body. The brain manages everything and organs and cells are specialized to perform unique functions. Everything works in harmony but the endocrine system -- hormones -- keeps everything regulated and in balance. Otherwise, the system would fail. As the metaphor goes, you've got to monitor and regulate the health of the organization so things don't spiral out of control before you're even aware that anything's wrong. To accomplish that, keep a razor-like focus on what's critical and stay flexible on what isn't.

Embracing the Variation

At some point in time most working professionals will be faced with a new career opportunity outside of their current employer’s offerings.  Most of the folks I know have some sort of fantasy involving a job opening that pays a higher salary, contains added career growth potential, and/or generally sets them in a direction that suits their future ambitions.  But when that ideal job opportunity moves from the fantasyland of their dreams and into the landscape before them, how will they react?  How would you react?

When this door of possibility opens, the initial reaction of the working professional is usually extremely positive.  They are gung-ho about the idea of advancement and the excitement of something new, but once the opportunity translates itself into an official offer letter, the frame of mind adjusts 180 degrees.  Apprehension of change takes over the consciousness and fear sets in.  Hesitant thoughts begin to traverse the mind:  “Maybe this bump in salary or career direction isn’t worth the jump right now.”  “Maybe I should hold off for a little while and see where my current position takes me.”

Yeah, maybe they should, and maybe they shouldn’t.  Nothing is certain, and the fear of change is completely natural.  However, surrendering to this fear and hesitation without an accurate evaluation of the options can lead to unfortunate personal growth stagnation.

The bottom line is that we all must evaluate our options realistically and be ready to face change if necessary.  We must be willing to adjust in the event that we are dealt a straight flush. Sure, the house might have the royal flush, so you’ll never be absolutely 100% certain where your current position will take you.  But if you perform a constructive assessment of your options weighted against a timeline of the next five years and your gut feeling tells you that the bump is worth the jump, your instinct is almost certainly correct.  Make the leap and never look back.

A friend of mine is currently in a state of extreme hesitation concerning a career opportunity that I truly believe he should take.  Either way, I just hope he makes a decision that he won’t regret down the line.

The Impact of Your Words

We all know about "impact words" in marketing -- language that is proven to be most likely to get attention or elicit a buyer response. But using these powerful trigger words and not backing them up -- or qualifying them so much as to make them meaningless -- can be worse than not using them at all. The advertising of a good, reputable company is a promise; and good, reputable companies and business people don't make promises they can't keep.

Clearly it's difficult to make powerful, one-, two-, or three-word claims that are completely string-free and ironclad, so it's important to do a reality check when you use impact words in your marketing. If there are too many "ifs, ands, or buts" attached to your promises, or if the likelihood is low of the typical customer getting exactly the promised service, product, or experience, you could be crossing into teaser territory and it could backfire on you.

Here are some commonly used impact words and thoughts to consider before using them:

"Instantly": If you can't give a discount, rebate, or service in real time, on the spot (whether at a cash register, website, or someone’s front door), doesn’t call it instant. There's nothing vague about the word, so the customer's expectation is clear. If it's not going to happen immediately, then use more accurate words like "fast," "speedy," "while you wait," or "at point of purchase."

"No questions asked": If you use these strong and unequivocal words, abide by them. Too often those words are tossed out -- most often as part of a warranty or return policy -- but not really honored. Returns and other after-sale interactions are often where the customer is most sensitive to the quality of your service; they can be make-or-break situations for your business. So if you say it, do it, using your mouth to smile, apologize if needed, and say thank you -- not to question, challenge, or back-pedal.

"Guaranteed": It's admittedly very difficult to use this ubiquitous word without some kind of qualifier (though some companies do it very well). So, if you do use the word, be very upfront and specific about exactly what is guaranteed and how. We've all been in situations where we make a claim on a guarantee, only to have some clause pointed out to us that happens to specifically exclude our problem.

If your guarantee is truly unconditional, that's fantastic, and you should trumpet it. But if it's not, be clear. Say, "Our guarantee," and then say what it is. It comes down to common sense -- read your promise, as a customer would, then envision a scenario where it comes into question. If there is any chance it might be misunderstood or misleading, your guarantee isn't clear enough. Here is a perfect example of a clear and solid guarantee; it's short, sweet (no fruit pun intended), and unambiguous.

"Free": Free is free (or at least it should be). Free with a patently ridiculous handling charge -- as is common in late night infomercial pitches -- or free with conditions that are not disclosed clearly or until late in the process, can be sketchy. The "free" may be technically accurate in some fashion, but the further something gets from truly free, the more of a “buzz kill” it is for a customer. You may be sending me a free collector's coffee mug, but if you mumble, "You just pay shipping and a $12.95 handling charge," I'm not feeling the free quite as much.

"Limited time": It's common practice for companies to advertise sales, promotions, or other offers as being "for a limited time only," for the obvious purpose of creating a sense of urgency and forcing a faster buying decision. But when that limited-time opportunity gets advertised in near-perpetuity, or kept alive by the usually questionable "extended by popular demand," customers become incredulous and less likely to buy into future time-sensitive offers. If there is no specified end date, or you aren't sure you will end your offer in what would reasonably be considered a limited time, don't position it that way. On the other hand, if the claim is accurate, be specific: Say "one week only" or "offer ends July 31st" -- no ambiguity there.

"No small print": This is really part-and-parcel of all the other words and situations above. "No small print" means not a single condition, caveat, or codicil. If there's so much as an asterisk or footnote, you've broken the promise. Here's an example I found of those words used to elegant perfection. If your offer requires small print (as most do), that's OK, but then just state that some conditions apply... or don't say anything and make the offer details clear in the big print.

The bottom line is that if you overpromise, set customer expectations at an unrealistic level, or use cloudy language to prompt customer behavior, you do so at your peril. If you can make a clear, powerful promise and honor it with confidence, go for it. If not, better to skip the trigger words and not risk having them come back to bite you.