7 Annoying Habits of bad bosses at work
7 Annoying Habits of bad bosses at work
It’s often said in the business world that employees don’t really leave their jobs or companies; they leave their managers. There’s a lot of evidence to support this claim. For instance, a 2022 survey by GoodHire of 3,000 full-time American workers revealed that over 80% of them might consider quitting due to a poor manager. Having a bad boss can hurt you in many ways. They can hold back your career advancement and impact your financial growth. But what’s one of the key reasons why bad managers can be harmful to both you and your organization?
Micromanagement
You were brought on board for a reason, whether it was your skills, quick adaptability, extensive experience, or enthusiasm for the role. But if your boss is constantly hovering over you, it feels like all that expertise doesn’t matter. Maybe they just don’t have faith in your abilities, or they feel the need to micromanage every aspect to feel secure in their own position. Whatever the case, it’s not helping you or the company at all. You’re more than capable of handling your responsibilities, and having someone dictate how to do things you already know just leads to wasted time and a lot of frustration.
Always trying to see both sides instead of actually solving conflicts
Having strong negotiation or mediation skills is definitely a plus for a manager, but it can only take you so far. Ultimately, a manager’s job is to make decisions. Even if they don’t always make the perfect choice in every situation, their main aim should be to push things forward rather than letting everyone get stuck in the same issue.
Doing Everything Themselves Instead of Delegating
Some managers believe they’re being helpful by swooping in to handle tasks themselves instead of letting you take care of them. But a key part of being a good manager is figuring out when to jump in and when to pass the baton to someone else who might be better suited or have more time for the job. If your manager struggles with making that call, they’re not really managing anyone’s time or workload well, including their own. Even if they think they’re being supportive, they’re actually just dragging things out in.
Not providing honest and helpful feedback
A good manager should not only be open to receiving feedback but also be skilled at giving it in a clear, constructive, and honest manner. Managers who are overly focused on pleasing others might dance around issues or completely overlook them instead of addressing them directly and professionally. The downside is that when managers avoid being truthful, thinking they’re being nice, they can unintentionally hinder your career growth. You have the right to know how you can improve and what others think of you in the workplace. If a manager can’t provide that kind of feedback, they’re actually holding you back, not just in your current role but possibly throughout your entire career.
If your manager isn’t giving you what you need to get your job done, that’s a problem.
On the other hand, micromanagement can also mean ensuring that employees have everything they need to succeed. This might involve training, providing a manual, or giving access to a database. Whatever it is, your manager should be getting it to you fast. If they’re slacking on that, they’re not fulfilling an important part of their job.
It seems like your boss is more focused on their own reputation than on supporting the team.
Are they genuinely helping you and your coworkers thrive, or are they just busy bragging about their achievements on LinkedIn or to the higher-ups?
If it’s the latter, they might be causing more issues for your team than they’re fixing. A solid manager should prioritize the team’s needs and well-being over just looking good in public.
Pushing for perfection
Every project doesn’t need to be flawless; it just has to meet the basic requirements. If your boss gets hung up on every tiny detail, constantly sending work back for revisions until it hits unrealistic expectations, they’re just making things harder for everyone.
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