There are no bad bosses!

By the time we reach the midpoint in our careers, we probably consider ourselves experts at differentiating between good and not-so-good bosses as we will likely have had our fill of the latter. Not so says columnist/author Penelope Trunk who brazenly states that there are no bad bosses, only whiny employees. (This is tip #33 from her book the Brazen Careerist).

Want to deal with a bad boss? Start by stop complaining, says Trunk. In fact, a little incompetence on your boss’s part is actually good for you as it gives you the opportunity to look a little better (but only if you are not complaining). Other suggestions/observations:

1. You are not being managed poorly, you are manging your boss poorly.
2. Take responsibility for your career, not the other way around.
3. Focus on what it is that you can learn from your boss that is good.

Most importantly, you have two choices: stop complaining or leave. If you want to maximize your career, staying and bitching about it is not an option despite being the path employees usually take.

As I was summarizing Penelope's post this morning, I couldn't help but think about past bosses and partners that I had had and how often I focused on where they lacked as opposed to their strengths. Each of them had at least some skills that I could have benefited learning if I had bothered to come off my high perch of silent (and sometimes not-so-silent) criticism.

I particularly like this passage from Penelope's post:

"...take another look at the boss you call bad. Think about what motivates him: What is he scared about that you can make easier? What is he lacking that you can compensate for? What does he wish you would do that you don’t? Once you start managing this relationship more skillfully, you will be able to get more from your boss in terms of coaching and support..."

I can't wait for my next "bad" boss to try this out!

Amazon link to Penelope's book: Brazen Careerist: The New Rules for Success