Summary

The article outlines seven hard-learned lessons from dealing with challenging bosses in corporate environments, emphasizing personal growth and professional development.

Abstract

The article "Awful Bosses are Great Teachers" reflects on the author's experiences in the corporate world, particularly the tough lessons learned from interacting with difficult bosses. It suggests that while awful bosses can make work miserable, they also serve as catalysts for personal growth, teaching employees about the importance of setting boundaries, direct communication, and self-advocacy. The piece encourages readers to view these experiences as opportunities to develop resilience, adaptability, and networking skills, ultimately preparing them to become better leaders themselves.

Opinions

Family Metaphor Misuse: The author is skeptical of bosses who describe their teams as a family, as this often masks a dysfunctional work environment.
Boundaries are Crucial: Employees should set clear boundaries to prevent exploitation by bosses who take advantage of their willingness to go beyond their duties.
Remote Work Disinhibition: The rise of remote work has led to some bosses behaving more disrespectfully online than they would in person, a trend the author discourages.
Direct Communication is Key: The article emphasizes the importance of addressing issues directly with the source rather than escalating them to higher management or HR.
Loyalty is Not Reciprocal: Employees should prioritize their own interests over company loyalty, as companies prioritize their own financial interests, often at the expense of long-term employees.
Reputation's Stickiness: Once formed, professional reputations are difficult to change, so it's important to manage perceptions proactively.
Networking Over Performance: The author points out that who you know can be more important than what you know, especially when it comes to promotions and raises.
Growth Through Adversity: The author encourages readers to use the challenges posed by difficult bosses as opportunities for personal and professional development.

Awful Bosses are Great Teachers

Things I’ve Learned From Corporate Life

Have you ever sat at your work desk wondering if this was all life had to offer?

Your life is turning into a hamster wheel you are stuck in. You live for weekends and start dreading Monday morning every Sunday night.

You swear your boss’s graduate degree is in being an asshole.

It’s easy to feel defeated and think this is what the rest of your life will look like.

Behold, there is a silver lining!

Here are seven tough lessons I’ve learned about corporate life from some of the worst bosses.

I’m also going to show you how to deal with the misery.

1. It’s a Family

I started a new job once, and one of the first things my new boss said was: “Our team is like a family. We have each other’s backs, and I care about all of you.”

She must hate her family. Very few people on the team had anyone’s back, and that boss refused to take the concerns I brought to her seriously.

It ended with me filing a report with HR. It hammered home a lesson I had become familiar with many years ago.

Be wary of any boss who refers to their team as a family.

Most people refer to their families as dysfunctional or toxic. Maybe both. People want to work in a different kind of environment.

2. Boundaries

You already have one of these types of co-workers. They are exceptional employees; management loves them, and you probably like them too.

They always seem to go above and beyond.

They also complain about the extra tasks they get sent their way. They’ve said yes to so many things that management never asks anyone else.

They know your coworker will go out of their way to help, so they take advantage of it.

The less boundary you have around your time, the more bad bosses will take advantage of it. Yes, sometimes crazy things pop up.

But don’t confuse emergencies with someone else’s continued lack of planning.

Protect your time. Say no to repeated last-minute requests and weekly favors. Put a boundary around the time you do things that bring you joy.

3. Zoom Hiding

The world was already shifting towards a hybrid or full-time work-from-home model. COVID-19 put that process at warp speed.

With the rise of remote work came Zoom and conference calls. It makes sense because you have to communicate in some way.

With this increase, something strange happened. Some bosses decided it’s easier to be disrespectful because they no longer have to see you face-to-face.

I’m talking about being flat-out rude and condescending. Things they would not be doing if you were in the same office, conference room, or building.

Lack of physical proximity emboldened some.

Don’t be one of those people that hides behind a buffer. Anything you tell someone over the phone, in email, or text, you should be able to say to their face.

And there’s no reason you can’t respectfully do any of them.

4. Go to the Source

More people need to act like adults. Somewhere, people forgot how to communicate with each other as decent humans.

People want to throw criticism but remain anonymous. It’s easier for them to go to someone’s boss or HR to register a complaint.

Anything to avoid confrontation. Nobody wants to address their issues with someone directly. They’d instead tell everyone but the person they have the problem with.

More times than not, the whole issue stems from a lack of communication, and it’s not that serious.

It becomes more serious when you escalate it.

Give the source of your issues a chance to hear you out. If you do, and they don’t listen, do whatever you must to resolve it.

Nobody likes getting blindsided when they thought everything was going well. So, talk to them first before raising the issue with management.

5. Loyalty is Not a Two-Way Street

You can spend your whole life working for one company only to get let go for “business decisions.”

You can be an absolute workhorse for your company, but they’ll still give more money to new hires.

So, what are you being loyal to? Please don’t get mad at your company for doing what it thinks is in its best interests.

Get mad because you aren’t doing what’s in your best business interests. That might mean you have to ask for raises more frequently.

You might have to jump to a new company every few years; there is nothing wrong with that.

Rest assured, your company is always looking for ways to cut costs. One of those ways could be to bring in someone cheaper than you. Or it could be to cut your position.

The only person you owe loyalty to is yourself. Nobody can look out for you like you can.

6. Reputation is Everything

Once you have a reputation, fair or not, it’s hard to shake it. People like to label things because it makes them easier to understand.

Sometimes, the label is based on a one-time action, depending on who is in the audience.

You could spend your entire time working somewhere, trying to shake a false reputation. It’s almost impossible.

People are quick to make up their minds about you. Once that gets out, you could struggle.

Ensure you don’t constantly work with the same people on the same things. Try and expand it if you can.

It’s more difficult for a bad reputation to stick if you have other people in your corner.

7. Who, Not What You Know

Most bosses won’t admit it, but they all have favorites. Some are better at playing it evenly, while some are not.

This is most important when it becomes time for yearly reviews and raises. You can be the best employee in your group by far.

But if you don’t have the right people in your corner, your raise/bonus won’t reflect that.

Many companies will hide behind excuses like: “Everyone here is an exemplary employee. What else did you do?”

You can see many people who do less but have aligned themselves with the right people. Those people will be labeled top performers because of it.

It’s easy in these days of hybrid work schedules to get caught up on the hamster wheel of working and then going home. But that’s not enough anymore.

You have to expand your network. The more people in your corner backing you for raises, the better your chances are.

Otherwise, that money will go to the less deserving when they have percentage points left.

Embrace Your Journey

Be honest, your mind is racing. You’re thinking, “Is it worth it? What’s the point?”

Frustration is natural. Bad basses have been around since the idea of work was created. Everyone has had one; you aren’t alone.

Dealing with difficult people and personalities can inspire tremendous growth if you use it as an opportunity, not a drag.

You can master office politics, adapt to change, and become more resilient. All of which are valuable life skills, mind you.

The journey to becoming your best self will never end. Nothing can stop you from becoming better and better. Not even the worst bosses.

Imagine overcoming this awful boss and rising the corporate ladder. You no longer have to worry about them, and the skills you’ve learned can be used to be a good boss for other people.