Are you a horrible boss? According to a recent survey, 99.6 percent of people have experienced having a bad boss at some point in their career. In this blog post, we’re going to unpack the ingredients of being a bad boss, understand how we can unintentionally fall into these traps, and explore ways to avoid them. We'll also delve into insights from our guest, Lisa Tromba, about managing bias in the workplace, and finish with weekly self-reflections on leadership.
The Ingredients of Being a Bad Boss
No boss wakes up in the morning intent on demotivating their team. However, many bad bosses are often unaware of their blind spots and the impact of their behaviour on others. An article by Jessica Lindsay on msn.com, stemming from a survey by Debra Corey, lists ten traits of bad bosses:
The Avoider: Fails to show up for their team, cancels one-on-ones, and withholds feedback, leaving employees feeling unsupported.
The Ignorer: Disregards the ideas and contributions of their team, creating a sense of invisibility.
The Hoarder: Withholds information, making employees feel excluded.
The Unappreciator: Fails to recognise and show gratitude for the team’s hard work.
The Pretender: Shields the team from bad news, creating a deceptive environment.
The Blocker: Hinders career progression, either intentionally or unintentionally.
The Firefighter: Always in reactive mode, prioritising immediate issues over long-term goals.
The Micromanager: Overly controls tasks, leaving no room for employee autonomy.
The Blamer: Passes on blame to others, never taking responsibility.
The Coercer: Manipulates and controls through fear or force, which can range from subtle manipulation to outright bullying.
Managing Bias in the Workplace
In our episode, Lisa Tromba discussed the importance of managing cognitive and emotional bias in the workplace. Bias is a natural part of our evolution and brain hard wiring, but it can negatively impact decision-making and behaviour. The key is to elevate self-awareness and surround ourselves with people who have complementary biases. This balance helps in making well-rounded decisions and fostering a collaborative environment.
Examples of complementary biases:
Egocentric versus altruism
Overconfidence versus loss aversion
Intuition versus logic
Planning versus action
Call to Action: Elevating Awareness and Creating Balance
Here’s a great call to action for everyone: Elevate your awareness of your own biases and those around you. Collect diverse inputs from people with counterbalancing biases to make well-considered decisions. This practice can lead to solutions far better than what any single individual could achieve alone.
Weekly Self-Reflections:
Mick has practised daily self-reflection for the past 11 years, asking himself five questions:
What went well?
What didn’t go well?
What would I do differently next time?
What did I learn about myself?
What did I learn about others?
This Week’s Reflections:
What went well? Mick successfully managed hybrid work by prioritizing deep work at home and collaborative tasks in the office.
What didn’t go well? Moments of procrastination and distraction occurred.
What would I do differently? Apply the Zeigarnik effect to overcome inertia by just getting started.
What did I learn about myself? Time blocking works well for maintaining focus and productivity.
What did I learn about others? People want to feel seen, heard, and valued. Leadership must be a daily practice of self-check and improvement.
As we explored the traits of bad bosses, it became clear how easily anyone can fall into these traps, often unintentionally. However, leadership requires daily practice. Reflect on your actions and consider their impact on your team. Strive to get 1% better everyday, ensuring your team feels valued and appreciated.
Conclusion
Reflecting on leadership is an ongoing journey. By recognising and addressing the traits of a bad boss, we can cultivate a more supportive, effective, and empathetic leadership style. Keep evaluating your actions, learn from your experiences, and consistently strive to ensure your team feels seen, heard, and valued.
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