A “Bad” Boss
Read more articles on Let Me Share With You and General Management.July 26, 2006
Posted by Karen Amato Schwartz
July 26, 2006
Posted by Karen Amato Schwartz
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Recently, I saw a request for stories about “bad” bosses, and it got me to thinking…Luckily, I’ve only had one that should not have had her title or her pay, so I guess I’ve done better than most!
Unfortunately, though, Bernice was one of my first bosses in the “real” world, and I now believe that any boss who ruins the enthusiasm and morale of someone in their first job deserves a special place in Hades.
Daily, Bernice preached about her favorite topic, Catholicism, and did not care about being “politically correct” in the office. She knew that heaven awaited her because she attended daily mass, wore a scapula, carried a rosary, and placed holy pictures on her desk. However, she also wasted company time and resources, made derogatory and prejudicial comments, and believed that Divine protection gave her freedom to berate those who did not believe as she did.
This was bad enough, but she considered me her personal servant. At 19, I was too young and intimidated to refuse her demands, which ranged from getting her coffee (with just the right amount of cream) to going to the post office on my lunch hour to get stamps for her collection. (However, one day I wasn’t careful enough carrying them back, and the sheet suffered a slight fold. Her reaction was not pretty, and to this day I shudder when I see a page of stamps.)
Another supervisor assured me I was not alone in feeling antagonized; it just happened to be “my time”. No matter how hard I tried, my work failed to live up to Bernice’s approval, but thank goodness for this other supervisor! Two years later she was the one who recommended me for management assessment, and during the 6 week wait, I had to endure Bernice’s loud and snippy comments about what a waste of time and money it would be to test me.
However it was easy for me to pass every test: I knew a good manager should be everything Bernice was not. When the good news came in, I had the supreme satisfaction in seeing Bernice speechless. I don’t remember hearing any congratulations, but knowing I was now on her level was just as fulfilling!
That was the stepping stone to my climb up the corporate ladder. Although I stayed at that level until I resigned 15 years later, I enjoyed many challenging and fulfilling experiences, and met some incredibly wonderful bosses.
There are many who do not deserve their position, and many who should be “further along” but just have not gotten the breaks. Who knows the meaning of it? All anyone can hope for is that an opportunity to move to another job surfaces, and to make sure they are prepared for it. I’m glad to have learned how not to be a bad boss! Regardless of position or title, treatment of others is the most important aspect of one’s reputation.
I don’t hate Bernice for the person that she was at that time. She must have had many frustrations and disappointments to be so scathing, and her need for a spiritual life preserver was her way of coping. If I met Bernice now, I could stand up to her distasteful behaviors objectively. But, most young people can’t do that. As I said, the future generation’s ambition should never be dampened in such a cruel and cynical way, especially by someone they are trying to impress. That is a “bad” boss!
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