Just as there are bad employees, there are bad bosses. Even even stupid people can climb up the corporate ladder. What qualifies as a bad boss? Perhaps not bad but ignorance would be right word. These are ignorant bosses who do not know better. If the boss you are working under “passes” these few tests, then he (or she) qualifies as a bad boss. Let’s assume for now that your boss is a he.

1. By Col Mukteshwar Prasad(Retd)

2.  Just as there are bad employees, there are bad bosses.
• Even even stupid people can climb up the corporate
ladder.
• What qualifies as a bad boss?
 Perhaps not bad but ignorance would be right word.
• These are ignorant bosses who do not know
better.
 If the boss you are working under “passes” these few
tests, then he (or she) qualifies as a bad boss.
 Let’s assume for now that your boss is a he.

3.  1. Negative
• He is always negative about everything.
• He can be negative even with the most positive things – as if there is nothing in
this world that will make him happy.
• He does not know how to look at things from the right view – work or otherwise.
 2. Selfish
• More bothered about own selfish rather than collective goal, or goal of your unit
and company he is supposed to help achieve.
• If he is always plotting to move up even at the expense of the people under him,
he must be a very ignorant person.
• He does not know that the better his team, the better he is in rising to the
top.
 3. Rude
• Indulges in lies and spreading gossip, talking behind everyone’s back.
• May speak well in front about you and ill of someone to you then he is likely to
speak ill of you to someone else and may be rude, too!
• If he calls you stupid then he can not be smart and unworthy of leading others

4.  4. Unethical
• He is most probably unethical in his conduct and the way he runs his unit
is detrimental not just to his team, but also to your company.
• He takes credit from the team and present to the boss himself rather than
you when going is easy.
• But when it is a tough presentation to a client, he will figure out an
excuse to get out of it.
• You often wonder, why doesn’t his boss notice?
• He will create excuses when he makes a mistake and punishes others
for the same mistakes.
• Leading by example is not in his vocabulary.

5.  5. Lazy
• Don’t ask him to do anything.
• He will act smart and look busy.
• He knows no effort.
• He will tell everyone to do everything and one wonders what he does.
• But he gets away with it from his bosses as he is very good at putting up
an act for his bosses.
• He thinks he is working smart.
• But you know he is a bad boss because he does not even know his
own role and work.
• His motto is, “A boss doesn’t have to work,” which is dead wrong! He just
doesn’t work because he doesn’t know how.

6.  6. Ignorant
• He confuses his perception for reality.
• It seems like he is in a world of his own.
• He thinks he is smart.
• He thinks he works hard.
• He thinks he has employed the worst people in the world.
• If he has a chance he would change so and so and such and such.
 But he makes no effort at all.
• He has a warp sense of reality.
• Everybody is at fault and everyone needs him.
• When in reality the company is better off without him.

7.  Does your boss have all of these qualities? Or Even half?
 Then, he (or she) qualifies as stupid for all his ignorance.
 Does he also have toxic leadership qualities?
 If he does, you should think twice about your future under him.