There is a reason Hollywood produced a movie called Horrible Bosses, as well as a sequel. Listen in on conversations at a happy hour on any given Friday, and you will hear all about them. Bad bosses can be found at every level of management, and they often display the same characteristics. ...

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19 Traits of Bad Bosses
By Kevin Sheridan
There is a reason Hollywood produced a movie called as well as a sequel. ListenHorrible Bosses,
in on conversations at a happy hour on any given Friday, and you will hear all about them. Bad
bosses can be found at every level of management, and they often display the same
characteristics.
In nearly all of my leadership development workshops, after explaining the importance of the
manager-employee relationship in improving employee engagement, I challenge the participants to
become someone’s “best boss.” We then explore the qualities of a best boss.
However, it is just as valuable to consider the opposite. What attributes do horrible bosses most often
exhibit? The list below will not only help you realize if you are working for a bad boss, but also allow you to
reflect on whether you possess any of these traits yourself.
Screamer. One of my last bosses believed there was a direct correlation between how loud he
yelled and revenue growth. I can laugh about this now that I no longer report to him. Sadly, this trait
pervades the workplace. Earlier this year, I saw a asking whether it is acceptable toLinkedIn post
yell at work. Shockingly, more than 40 percent of the approximately 10,000 comments defended
screaming as an acceptable management behavior.
Bully. Bullies manage through fear mongering and intimidation. Often a “screamer” as well, these
people do not give guidance; they bully. They also create a culture of distrust, nervousness, and fear.
Under their thumb, employees are worried about losing their jobs. Office politics begin to dominate
employee performance. This bullying often includes lying about people behind their backs and
leading active campaigns to turn friends into workplace enemies.
Unapologetic. Great managers are quick to realize their missteps or mistakes and offer an
apology. Bad bosses never realize their egregious behavior and certainly never atone or apologize for
it.
Suck Up. How many times have you heard the term kiss ass in your workplace? Bad bosses are
notorious for spending little time with the people they manage. Instead, they spend their time sucking
up to their boss and only trying to look good in their boss’s eyes.
Poor Communicator. Not giving clear instructions is a prominent trait among bad bosses. They
frequently guard information and treat it as power. In addition, they often contradict themselves or
give conflicting instructions. Their direct reports spend an inordinate amount of time trying to decode
or interpret what limited communication is offered.
Terrible Listener. Bad bosses don’t listen, which goes hand in hand with being bad
communicators. Worse, they do not even care to listen. Whatever you say, bad bosses hear what
they want to hear. In addition, they interrupt constantly, and they are never fully present during
interactions with employees.
Always Right. These bosses have a compulsive need to be right and consistently point out how
others are wrong. They can never admit a mistake and say, “I am sorry.”
Unavailable. Bad managers are rarely available. They are MIA when needed most, especially in
times of crisis, when critical decisions need to be made, or in employee situations that require

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times of crisis, when critical decisions need to be made, or in employee situations that require
sensitivity.
Never Praise or Encourage. Quick to criticize and slow to praise: Too many employees of bad
bosses report that their managers have not thanked them in years. Given that recognition is the most
effective driver of engagement, this is one of the most egregious traits of a bad boss.
Blamer. Lacking any personal accountability, these bosses blame everyone else when
something goes wrong. They often break the rules or office policies to shift blame onto others. This
type of boss leaves direct reports high and dry when it matters most.
Indecisive. Bad bosses live in fear of themselves, which often leads to decision paralysis. This
indecision stems from a boss’s fear of making a mistake or simply not having enough basic business
intelligence to make the decision.
Micromanager. Whatever work you are performing, the micromanager is always looking over
your shoulder and second guessing every decision you make. This can be especially frustrating when
combined with trait 13 (unable to make a decision). Highly controlling, micromanagers demand every
last bit of information and squelch any opportunity for innovation or creativity. You are to execute
orders and report back. Command and control.
Tolerant of Mediocrity and Relishes the Suck Ups. These bosses care more about whether
employees kiss ass than how they perform. They are tolerant of employees who do average or
subpar work as long as they suck up and try to make the bad boss look good. Even if it is glaringly
apparent that a poor performer must go, that person can remain in the position because of the ability
to suck up.
Manipulative. Bad bosses are notorious for scheming and manipulating others, either for their
own agenda or just for fun. It’s almost like a game to them, and they toy with people as though they
are puppets. Sadly, this manipulation results in hurt feelings and an untold amount of wasted energy.
Vindictive. Heaven forbid you should ever cross, disagree with, or publicly debate an issue with
the bad boss. Questioning this type of boss makes her feel threatened, and likely to go after you to
make you feel the same way. Even if your motive for questioning your boss was well intentioned,
when you’re dealing with a vindictive leader, it is sometimes best (or at least easier) to bite your
tongue to protect yourself and your job.
Inconsiderate and Shaming. Bad bosses are frequently rude and inconsiderate, fond of
shaming their employees. They use staff meetings as a forum to belittle or publicly humiliate them.
Some of these behaviors are spawned by their own insecurities and fears; many bosses feel better
about themselves when ridiculing others.
Take Credit for Other People’s Hard Work. Ever work really hard on something, spending
endless hours trying to deliver great results to your organization, only to discover that your boss has
stolen the credit for your hard work? If so, you have a bad boss. Good leaders take pride in their
team’s accomplishments and go out of their way to make sure higher-ups know who to thank for a
job well done. Simply put, taking credit for someone else’s work is shameful.
Do any of these behaviors sound familiar, either because you’ve been on the receiving end or
because you sometimes exhibit them? If so, you’re not alone. No one is perfect, but simply trying
harder to be a good boss goes a long way toward boosting employee engagement. What can you do

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Cyndi
Sax
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harder to be a good boss goes a long way toward boosting employee engagement. What can you do
today to be a better boss?
Editor's Note: Adapted from Sheridan, K. 2015. “19 Ways to Be a Bad Boss.” Kevin Sheridan blog, June
22, 2015. . http://kevinsheridanllc.com/2015/06/19-ways-to-be-a-bad-boss
Kevin Sheridan is an internationally recognized keynote speaker, a New York Times
bestselling author, and one of the most sought after voices in the world on the topic of
employee engagement. He spent 30 years as a high-level human capital management
consultant helping some of the world’s largest corporations rebuild a culture that fosters
productive engagement, which earned him several distinctive awards and honors. Kevin’s
premier creation, PEER, has been consistently recognized as a long-overdue, industry-changing
innovation in the field of employee engagement. His book Building a Magnetic Culture made six bestseller
lists, including the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today. He also wrote The Virtual
Manager, which explores how to more effectively manage remote workers. Kevin received a master of
business administration with a concentration in strategy, human resources management, and
organizational behavior from Harvard Business School.
Every company has an internal brand (whether they know it or not). This is the image it presents,
intentionally or unintentionally, through messaging to current and prospective employees about the
organization’s culture and values. Leaders have a unique opportunity to shape the culture by
positioning these messages in a way that supports the desired future state, while taking into
consideration the threats and challenges that employees deal with on a day-to-day basis.
Consequently, the gap between a leader’s perception of reality and employees’ versions of that reality is
not a peripheral issue for an organization. A disconnect between leadership and team members can
damage trust, employee engagement, and collaboration, which in turn can contribute to a decline in
productivity, increased employee turnover, and ultimately loss of market share.
A powerful step that leaders can take to improve their impact is to gain a deep understanding of the
employee experience. Instead of limiting their understanding to one-dimensional perceptions heard through
filtered messages and unchecked perceptions, leaders should proactively seek to understand what Fierce
author Susan Scott describes as “the ground truth.” What’s really happening on the shopConversations
floor? What are the greatest barriers that employees encounter when undertaking projects? What do team
members genuinely need in terms of support, tools, and resources? What do they think and feel about
coming to work each day? What are they excited about and what gets in their way?
Listening can help leaders expand their understanding and make a positive impact on culture.
Why Listening?
When an organization’s internal brand deteriorates, valued contributors leave. High turnover results in a
loss of knowledge, expertise, and innovation, and the cost of replacing and onboarding key employees is
high. If better listening helps retain key employees, improves morale, builds trust, and increases
engagement, no further justification is required.
However, there are many other benefits to listening. No one person, including executives, has all the
answers, especially in today’s complex business environment. Employees are savvy and can see through
empty statements, fluffy platitudes, and messages that fail to align with their personal experiences on the
job. If your goal is to improve and grow your organization, become known as an authentic leader who

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job. If your goal is to improve and grow your organization, become known as an authentic leader who
understands that delivering strong business results first requires building strong professional relationships.
Listening provides you with access to a diversity of ideas and potential solutions you could not have
generated on your own. Listening expands perspectives and enables an organization to proactively
address potential issues rather than simply react to them after they escalate. On an interpersonal level,
listening:
strengthens relationships
builds trust
improves teamwork
enhances credibility
increases loyalty
shows employees that you care.
How to Be a Better Listener
One of the most impactful components of my work as an organizational development consultant is serving
as an executive coach. A colleague recently asked me, “When you’re on a coaching engagement, how do
you convince an executive that listening is important?”
The answer is that I can’t force anyone I’m coaching to listen—or to do anything else they don’t desire. I
can, however, help leaders discover the value of listening by asking them powerful questions. I guide them
through a reflective process to help them recognize the results they achieved when they took action based
on a clear understanding of those around them, and we compare those results to times when they made a
decision “in a bubble.” Coaching clients usually realize the information gained through meaningful listening
leads to better business results.
Trying to reinvent another person—any person—is an exercise in futility. That’s why it’s important to think
in more open-ended terms. If you are a leader, manager, supervisor, or even an individual contributor who
wants to become a better listener, ask yourself these questions:
What’s my style?
Are you a facilitator who naturally wants to bring people together? Are you a persuader who seeks to
influence others in order to gain commitment? Are you an idea person who assumes people will quietly fall
in line behind you because of your “vision”? There are many types of leadership styles, and yours will
impact your interactions with others. The objective is not to change your style or turn you into someone you
are not. The objective is to understand when your natural style works for you and when it doesn’t.
What results are you getting from your style?
If you are attaining the results that you aspire to achieve, then keep doing what you are doing! If you are
not satisfied with the quality of your professional relationships or with the business results of you and your
team, start with yourself when looking for a solution. Consider what you might do differently to improve your
dynamics.
What are your struggles as a “listening leader”?
Write down your preliminary thoughts, and then check your perceptions by asking for feedback from your
key stakeholders. Some questions to ask might include: How well do I listen? Do you feel heard and
understood? Are there questions I should be asking you that I’m not asking? What messages am I missing
or misinterpreting? What could I be doing differently to make you more comfortable sharing difficult
messages?

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Cyndi Sax
messages?
Really listen to people’s responses and receive them as the gift they are. Don’t defend your behavior,
debate the accuracy of the feedback, or respond in any way other than to thank the person for sharing their
perceptions with you. Absorb the responses with as much objectivity as possible.
What are your obstacles to effective listening?
Some types of improvement require overcoming external obstacles, such as conflicting agendas, limited
budgets and resources, and short or inadequate staffing. The obstacles that impact one’s listening
effectiveness are often internal. By identifying your personal obstacles, you are taking the first, powerful
step toward improvement. Once you pinpoint behaviors that are restricting effective communication, you’ll
improve the quality of your professional relationships, create a more positive emotional state for yourself
and others, and deliver greater results. Learn to make your style work for you—whether that style comes
naturally to you or if it’s one that you work to intentionally create—so you can help deliver on the promise of
your company’s brand.
As you strive to be known as a “listening leader,” here are a few tips:
Understand what’s at stake for you and for the person you’re engaging.
Your “truth” and their “truth” can both be true at the same time without one viewpoint being
“right” and the other “wrong.”
All voices should be heard, and your job as a leader is to make a safe place for that to happen.
Most of all, be present. When you are in the role of listener, you have one responsibility. By fulfilling it, you
can take the first step toward realizing your ideal organizational state.
Cyndi Sax
Cyndi Sax is the senior vice president of professional services at Caliper, an
employee-assessment and development firm headquartered in Princeton, New Jersey.
She has extensive experience as an executive coach and OD leader.