I recently read a quote on Facebook which reads: “A bad job
with good boss is better than a good job with bad boss.” This quote was liked
and endorsed by a large number of people, which shows that most people think
that the quote is right. I however, disagree with the quote. I have learned
from my experience that you grow best when you work with the so called bad
bosses. Let me explain why?
WHO IS A GOOD BOSS?
There is no universally accepted definition of good or bad
boss. Usually we consider a boss good, when we ‘feel’ good working with him. A
boss is good for us when he may have following qualities.
1: Think Similarly:-
When you and your boss think alike on most matters, you consider your boss to
be good because there is little chance of conflict between you and you always
feel good working with him.
2: Interfere Rarely:-
If your boss does not interfere in your work, you are very happy with him and
call him a good boss.
3: Kind
Unconditionally:-If your boss has the reputation to being nice and kind to
everyone all the time and never punish anyone, he is bound to be extremely
popular and rated as a good boss.
WHO IS A BAD BOSS?
A bad boss is one who makes you ‘feel’ bad. If your boss is
not good all the time, you consider him bad. If your boss has helped you
hundred times but punished you only once, you don’t remember those hundred acts
of goodness, but remember that one punishment. However, it may be a blessing in
disguise to work under such a so called bad boss. Let us examine why?
1: Think Differently:-
When the thoughts of your boss does not match with your own, you are always
uncomfortable working with him. You face conflicts with your boss internally and
externally. Yet the strength of your character and your ability to follow your
conviction is tested only under such bosses. It has been my experience that I
have learned most under such bosses because there has always been an opposite
point of view from the boss, which I was often forced to accept and even implement.
I always believe in giving my frank view even if that is overruled by the boss.
Eventually either I or my boss would be proven to be right. I have never found
my views to be always proven right or the view of the boss always proven wrong.
If my views are mostly right, often the boss would start giving more importance
to my views and if the views of the boss is mostly right, I would develop more
faith on his decision-making and also learn a couple of new things from the
boss. Hence in the process, both I and my boss learned from each other.
2: Drive Forcefully:-
If a boss does not interfere with the work of anyone, soon many power centers are
created in the organization, where everyone thinks that he is the boss. This leads to chaos in the organization where
everyone is pulling everyone else in his own direction. Soon the organization
loses its direction as all its energies are dissipated in internal
conflicts. A leader must have a vision
for the organization and courage to implement it. However, every action
produces reaction from people within and without, who are adversely affected by
such action. An effective boss has to ensure that everyone falls in line for
the benefit of the organization, which is bound to antagonize some people. If you are one of them, you are sure to feel
bad working under such bosses and even hate them. It is better to use such
opportunity to get out of your complacency mode and march shoulder-to-shoulder
with your boss and prove that you are better than the rest. I can assure you
that you will soon become a better leader working under such boss.
3: Discriminate
Effectively:- If your boss is good for everyone, he is usually good for none.
You tend to lose motivation working under such bosses because he fails to appreciate
your good work and punish others for their bad work. Imagine a boss who gives
10/10 to all subordinates because he has to be good for everyone. Such a good
boss is actually a timid boss who is scared of annoying anyone. Alexander the
Great once said, “I am not afraid of an army of lions led by a sheep; I am
afraid of an army of sheep led by a lion.” If you work under such bosses, you
will soon become a sheep yourself even if you had been a lion earlier. A boss
who discriminate good and bad officials is usually unpopular because good
people are always in minority in most organizations. If you are on the ‘wrong’
side of such boss, it is the right time to introspect. Instead of cursing him for
being inhuman and unfair, focus on becoming better than what you had ever been and
create excellence for the self and the organization.
THE BAD-BAD BOSS
There are of course some bosses who are bad for everyone and
it is a torture to work with them. Thankfully, such bosses are rare and they
are usually fired in a good Corporate and shunted to insignificant position in government
organization if firing is almost an impossible option.
It is always a pleasure to work with good bosses but one who
can perform only with good boss leaves himself at the mercy of others. Let us
not pray to work only with good bosses but pray to become stronger to excel
with even the bad bosses. When you are able to produce great results with good as
well as bad bosses, you take control in your life in your hand and become the
master of your destiny.
Let’s remember the words of Jim Rohn, an American
entrepreneur, author and motivational speaker.
Don't wish it were
easier; wish you were better.
Don't wish for less
problems; wish for more skills.
Don't wish for less
challenges; wish for more wisdom.