Toxic Workplaces | Leadership | Productivity
The 8 Toxic Types of Bosses, Recognize Them and Get out of Their Way Quickly
There are many types of bad bosses out there. But to thrive in your career, you must be able to deal with all of them.
Not every workplace will be a positive experience.
You might find yourself reporting to one of these eight toxic types of bosses during your career, but you don’t have to put up with any of their bad behavior for very long.
The first step to making it out of your toxic work environment alive is recognizing the type of boss you’re dealing with and then working toward getting out of their way as quickly as possible.
Here are the eight most common types of toxic bosses and how to best handle them.
1) Micromanager
This overbearing boss gets in everyone’s business.
Whether he’s checking in with your team daily or stepping over you to give your direct reports feedback, he won’t trust you to do your job unless he’s doing it himself.
Although micromanagement might seem like an efficient way to get work done, it leads to increased turnover and decreased productivity.
That being said, a certain amount of oversight is inevitable and sometimes even necessary.
To tell if your boss is a micromanager, watch what he does.
If he’s constantly hovering over you or checking in on you throughout the day, that’s a sign that you might have a micromanager on your hands.
The best way to deal with a micromanager is to keep him in check.
If you’re getting feedback from your boss regularly, that’s great!
But if they’re making it difficult for you to work independently, it might be time to speak up and let them know how their behavior affects your productivity.
2) Perfectionist
Do you ever feel like your boss gives you an impossible task and then immediately changes their mind, leaving you in a pickle?
The key to dealing with perfectionists is to provide feedback at regular intervals so that they know how their actions are affecting you. That way, they’ll be less likely to change direction on a whim and expect others to follow suit.
A perfectionist boss wants things done their way, right away.
Perfectionists are usually very good at what they do and tend to make others feel like they’re not up to snuff in comparison.
3) Workaholic
If you haven’t heard, working 60-hour weeks can have a detrimental effect on your health.
Studies have shown that people who clock in more than 50 hours per week exhibit higher sickness, physical injury, and mental health issues — especially if they’re doing it over several years.
The bad news is that if you’re a workaholic, there isn’t a magic formula for changing your ways.
If your boss is an enabler, they might respond to any call for help by pushing back and requiring you to put in even more hours.
Meanwhile, any issues within your company will continue getting swept under a rug as long as business looks good on paper.
The good news is that while you can’t ask your boss to just stop being a workaholic, there are things you can do to help yourself. If you don’t have a healthy support system at home, reach out to friends and family members who will remind you why it’s essential to take care of yourself.
4) Backstabber
Backstabbers are more concerned with their own success than their progress and growth. They would rather see you fail than succeed, which is never good for business.
Eventually, they’ll get their comeuppance (it might take a while), but in the meantime: keep your eyes open, keep a close watch on your back and know that ultimately, you’re better off without them.
Backstabbers will always be backstabbers — even when it comes to career-related moves.
Never be afraid to backstab a backstabber! Wait for your moment and take action when you feel it’s right.
The sooner you can remove them from your professional life, the better off everyone else will be. It’s okay to vent with colleagues or friends, but try not to ruffle too many feathers.
5) Liar
This type of boss rarely tells you anything straightforward. They might say this is a promotion when it’s a lateral move in reality. They might tell you your idea is excellent, but never ask for it again.
These bosses either want to make themselves look good or think they’re sparing you from bad news and/or disappointment by letting you live under some fantasy.
On a brighter note, remember that many boss liars aren’t trying to be malicious or hurtful. They might believe their job is to shield you from difficult news and make you feel like they’re always on your side.
The best approach to dealing with a boss who lies is understanding what’s going on.
6) The Dictator
This boss doesn’t accept input, regardless of whether it’s solicited.
Dictators won’t ask for advice and will often use their perceived expertise to make snap decisions that they expect everyone else to follow.
What they lack in communication skills they make up for in sheer noise: The dictator often has very high standards and expectations — and they aren’t afraid to say so at a moment’s notice.
The A-hole: Every workplace has one, but no one ever names them out loud. This boss is a one-man s**t show who tries to make everyone else’s life a living hell — and it shows.
7) Manipulator
The manipulative boss plays head games, making it challenging to complete simple tasks and stifling your sense of achievement.
Don’t even try to reason with a manipulator — these types don’t want anything good for you; they just want their ego stroked.
You can deal with a manipulator by maintaining rigid boundaries, setting realistic expectations and communicating clearly.
If you find yourself with a manipulative boss — run!
The manipulative boss won’t respect you if you don’t stand up for yourself. The manipulative boss has no regard for boundaries, and they will use your own words against you when he knows you are weak in a particular area.
7) Dishonest
No matter how good you are at your job, there’s one trait you simply can’t tolerate in a boss: dishonesty.
If they want to hide something from you or mislead others with false information, run in the other direction.
Most managers keep a few secrets or purposefully mislead employees. But there’s a fine line between honest omissions and untruths that prevent your business from moving forward.
Employees need to feel they can trust their leaders to be transparent, even when it’s uncomfortable. What will happen when bad news needs to be communicated if they can’t trust their leaders?
When employees are kept in the dark, they cannot do their jobs effectively. A boss who won’t let his team know what’s happening essentially sets them up for failure.
Final thoughts
Everyone knows it’s a bad idea to work for someone who’s mean, but you might not know that there are a few different types of toxic bosses.
Different types bring additional challenges to your career, so be alert for these signs: If you feel like something isn’t right at work, it may not be just a rough patch in your day — it could be due to your boss.
As you can see, there are many commonalities among these toxic bosses. In some of these descriptions, you might even recognize yourself or someone you know.
