Can Anything Good Come From a Bad Boss?
By Vic Downing
© Vic Downing September 2009
Yes.
We’ve all seen them. Many of us have worked for them. The incompetent boss. The corrupt boss. The incompetent and corrupt boss.
Some bosses temporarily look like bad bosses because they are “still green” and have not yet “learned the ropes.” Others are bad bosses because they simply don’t want to work or conjure up the guts to face tough facts. Some function like bad bosses because they are overwhelmed by at-home issues or are addicted to one substance or another. Not a few bad bosses are “short timers” who are effectively retired-in-place. And then there are those few who are truly bad bosses because they have assumed the shortest route to their career objective is a very crooked pathway through politics and ethics.
Bad bosses are like weights in a gym: you can use them to become a stronger, better leader… or you can trip over them and bruise your career badly.
The Upside of a Bad Boss
Bad bosses are like weights in a gym: you can use them to become a stronger, better leader… or you can trip over them and bruise your career badly.
There are at least five “exercises” you can do with these weights:
- Do The Opposite
- Beef-Up Your Humility
- Leverage What’s Good
- Map Dead Ends and Short Cuts
- Hone Your Ability to Think and Speak… At The Same Time
Do The Opposite
How did the “still green” boss wind up with responsibilities that exceeded capabilities? Why has it taken that boss so long to come up to speed?
When you sit in meetings with the “still green” boss and your stomach churns because the boss talks too much, asks the wrong questions, jumps to conclusions too quickly, and fails to ask the people who know how things really work, take “a note to self” to do the opposite.
Why is the boss who is retired-in-place not striving to go out with a bang? What decisions has that boss made that have resulted in that sad finish? Do the opposite.
When you consider the boss who is overwhelmed by issues at home, ask yourself, “How is my home life? How could my life become overwhelming? How would I manage things differently if I was in my boss’ position?”
The corrupt boss didn’t start out that way. How did that boss transition from the idealistic college graduate to the jaded, snake in the grass? What motivates this person today? You have the same potential. What is to keep you from ending up like that? What are your values that are the opposite of the values of the corrupt boss? How can you reinforce those values?
Beef-Up Your Humility
Humility is one of the essential character traits of truly great leaders. (Courage is the other essential character trait.) Working for a bad boss has tremendous potential to develop your humility.
Humility is one of the essential character traits of truly great leaders.
Do you have the humility to “take orders” from your boss even though you know a better way (or think you do)? Are you willing to have your suggestions disregarded for no good reason and not gossip or slander your boss in secret?
There is a world of difference between suffering the consequences of a bad boss’ decisions while undermining, slandering, or gossiping about that boss, and suffering the consequences without “getting even.” Remember, the boss you want to work for is watching you and values the person who has the discipline to do the right thing under adverse conditions… and working in a dignified fashion for a bad boss is doing the right thing under very adverse conditions.
Leverage What’s Good
I’ve never seen a bad boss who was all bad. Let me explain. I’ve seen bosses who were entirely corrupt, but I have never seen an entirely corrupt boss who was not also a wizard with remembering names, or an ace when it came to spread sheets, a dynamite “cheerleader,” an amazing multi-tasker, downright scary when it comes to remembering details, or the Leanardo da Vinci of innovative thinking.
How does the bad boss excel? Can you do those things equally well? If not, then model yourself after that boss on those particular competencies.
Map Dead Ends and Short Cuts
Who is in the bad boss’ inner circle? These are probably not the people for whom you want to work, and they are probably not the people you want to recruit to your team. These are, also, probably the people who are most likely to hijack or torpedo your best efforts.
On the other hand, when you look at the teams led by the bad boss’ inner circle, you may find one or two people who are doing excellent work despite the boss. You may find people who don’t gossip about the bad boss or demean that boss; these are likely candidates for your next team.
Hone Your Ability to Think and Speak… At The Same Time
Self control —especially the ability to “think and speak on your feet”— is characteristic of every excellent leader.
Self control —especially the ability to “think and speak on your feet”— is characteristic of every excellent leader.
Working for a bad boss presents you with unlimited opportunities to develop that competency. Time after time you will have an opportunity to “innocently” say something that puts your boss in a bad light, reveal your boss’ lack of preparation, or offer a snide answer that humiliates your boss. Do you have the discipline to “see it coming” and say something that is not injurious…and is true?
How to Leave a Bad Boss
If you have an opportunity to transition from a bad boss to a good boss, take it. Be careful to build your reputation by how you leave your bad boss. Don’t “get even” with your bad boss by the way you exit. Make sure you transition in ways that fulfill your accountabilities and give your bad boss the opportunity to recover from your exit.
Remember This
Leadership “muscle” is built by lifting leadership “weights.”
There is the weight of committing to a bold goal without knowing exactly how you will achieve it, the weight of being left holding the bag, the weight of making a mistake and being called on the carpet, and the weight of working for a bad boss.
Go to the gym. Lift the weights! 
Track Record
30 years experience… North America, Asia, Europe… BioTech, Transportation, Distribution, Health Care, Manufacturing, Wholesale, Retail, Construction, Financial Services, Software… Sales, Service, Marketing, Environmental Health and Safety, Human Resources, Information Technology, Customer Service, Technical Services… CEO, CIO, CFO, Line Manager, First Line Supervisor, individuals, teams, virtual teams… find the problem, design the event, facilitate the meeting, train, inspire, build the process, fix the process, develop in-house expertise, listen, keep confidences.
Vic Downing
President, Global Advantage, Inc.
Sample Assignments
In two years increase per-square-foot net profit of a retail chain by more than 30% while expanding outlets by 10%… and be recognized as the number one quality vendor in the industry.
In one year reduce $300,000,000.00 operating budget by $47,000,000.00, not including savings associated with reduction in force.
Convene North American-Western European-Asian summit to resolve operational and cross-cultural issues that were impeding performance. Walk away with an integrated, measurable plan and a unified team with an extremely high level of rapport.
Jump-start a high potential manager whose performance was neutralized by the inability to delegate.
Prepare a Senior Vice President to plan, announce, and successfully manage two downsizings in six months, while improving the performance and loyalty of top performers.
Ramp-up emerging, high-technology production by 300% in 12 months while shortening cycle times, reducing waste, and improving morale.
Yeah but…
At Global Advantage, our customers sit at the top of the organization chart. Please let us know if you’ve got a question regarding this article, have a different perspective on this subject, or see something specific you want us to address.