Bad Boss Spotting

(Or Not Running Into One In The First Place)

The sheer fact that bad bosses have spawned a movie franchise speaks to their pervasiveness. It’s not surprising – so much of your well-being depends on the person you work for. A good manager will help you thrive and bring out the best in you. A terrible tyrant of a boss, on the other hand, can jeopardize your career growth and impact your personal life.

Yet, despite a bad boss, you can empower yourself and thrive professionally – my book offers an essential road map. Sometimes that managerial “badness” does not manifest itself fully right away. Everything seems fine, you like your job, you get invested, you get hopeful – and suddenly the Terrible Office Tyrant reares his ugly head, making your life a struggle. To avoid that, consider looking for classic “bad boss red flags.”

Recently I connected with Business Insider’s Jacquelyn Smith to discuss the 21 tell-tale signs your boss will eventually crush all your joy. I also suggest steps you can take once you spot any of those “early warning” signs. See the article for tips on what to do in each case. Keep in mind – it’s important to identify them early on so you can decide whether you want to deal with the problem or start looking for a new job.

If you are already in the process of looking for a more fulfilling position, you can be proactive in evaluating your future boss. Your next job should be the right job, the one to drive your career forward. In my own article for Business Insider I discuss how to become a bit of a sleuth in your job search – both before and during the job interview – a proactive way to avert working for a bad boss, a.k.a. a TOT.