A boss, a bully, or a leader.

     Someone we know has a new boss, a really bad boss.  He is someone who likes to keep everyone under his thumb.  He has alienated his entire department, and morale is as low as it is possible to be.   Given the current economic and job environment, employees stay, and he gets away with it.
     We are all familiar with bad bosses.  My husband once had a boss who spent hours verbally berating members of his staff in front of all their peers on a daily basis.  His temper was so volatile that when he finally was fired, armed security were called in to escort him out...even the person doing the firing was afraid of him.
     I have had some bad bosses, too, but most were just mediocre at their jobs.   A few were petty and unable to see the forest for the trees.
     Are you familiar with  "The Peter Principle"?  It is a 1969 book by Dr. Laurence J. Peter and Raymond Hull.  It states that "in a hierarchy every employee tends to rise to his level of incompetence."   An employee is promoted as long as he works competently.  Eventually he will reach a position where he is no longer competent, so he will no longer be promoted.  In time, every post will be occupied by an incompetent employee.  All work being done will be accomplished by those employees who have not yet reached their level of incompetence.  This seems to apply to many bosses who have reached their levels of incompetence.
     
"A boss creates fear, a leader confidence.  A boss fixes blame, a leader corrects mistakes.  A boss knows all, a leader asks questions.  A boss makes work a drudgery, a leader makes it interesting."
                                                 Russell H Ewing

     I was talking to my Mom last night.  She was telling me how she had cared for her two youngest grandchildren, my nephews.  One wanted to eat candy in their new car, Mom let him, saying, "Okay, I trust you."  He was careful and did not spill in the car.  She couldn't find any glue-sticks, so let the preschooler use regular glue.  She said, "Okay, I trust you,"  and he was very careful when he completed his project. 
     Would it be so hard for a boss to trust in the wealth of talent surrounding him?  To delegate, to have a little faith in the abilities of others, to recognize and encourage the growth of those talents?  I think bosses need to take a lesson from parenting and from grandparenting.  It would be a better world and businesses would flourish in an environment with fulfilled employees. 
     None of this really helps out my friend currently going through the "horrible boss" phenomenon, though.  My unsolicited advice:  just keep the faith, the economy will eventually turn around, better jobs will be out there, and your many talents will be recognized.  Karma and the fates will catch up to this guy.  They always do.  This job is just that, a job, it is not you or who you are.  And when it is your turn to be the big boss, should you even want that responsibility, and I know you are qualified for it, you will be the kind of boss who exhibits leadership and integrity, and who recognizes and encourages talent.

"No one can make you feel inferior without your consent."  Eleanor Roosevelt

"When you pray, move your feet."   Old African Proverb

and my very favorite:

"If you want to build a ship, don't drum up people together to collect wood and don't assign them tasks and work, but rather teach them to long for the endless immensity of the sea."  
                                        Antoine de Saint-Exupery