The Bad Boss: Fight, Flight Or Manage?

There's a new fiction novel, The Boss, based on "true stories of insensitive executives" who "behave badly with no regard for the havoc they wreak."

Sound familiar? It should. According to statistics cited by the book's author, Andrew O'Keeffe (a human resources veteran):

• The Corporate Leadership Council conducted a study and determined that of 23 job factors, the quality of an employee's supervisor had the most influence on whether that worker stayed put or looked elsewhere.
• In a study of 60,000 exit interviews, 80 percent of people who left their jobs did so because they couldn't stand working for their boss.
• Another study concluded that stress from bosses increases the incidence of heart attacks by 64 percent.

Of course, in this economy it may be more difficult for workers to find greener pastures. There may be another option. In an intriguing column on IT Career Planet, Rob England suggests that not enough workers make an intelligent effort to manage their bosses. As England writes:

Managing your manager is as important an activity as the function you are employed for, or managing your personal finances or your household. It should receive the same thought and effort.

Without Management Management, you have no control over the most important influence on your career; your boss. They write your reviews, set your pay, assign you work, decide your moves and leave. Without Management Management you are at the whim of that person. Think about that. It is seldom an attractive prospect (and you are very lucky if it is attractive).

England goes on to lay out three strategic goals and how to achieve them. It's well worth the read if your boss is getting you down, or even if you just want to take more control of your career.