INSEAD Library

Includes index

Digitized

-- Bad Bosses Crazy Cowboys and Other Office Idiots Bad Bosses Crazy Cowboys and Other Office Idiots Introduction: If You Can Recognize the Problem, ... You Can Find the Solution . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .xi11 PART 1 : Bosses from Hell (80 Problems/Solutions) Chapter 1: Big Sister Is Watching You ... every time you turn around, she's there . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3 Chapter 2: The Boss Who Doubles as the Wizard of 0 2 . . . the absentee boss . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15 Chapter 3: The Doddering Mascot. .. he's seen his heyday, and passed it . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..2 5 Chapter 4: Good CopIBad Cop.. . you've got twice as many management headaches . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .35 Chapter 5: The Management Junkie.. . he lows to tinlzer with the structure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .47 Chapter 6: The Predator. .. he's eyeing you, and not just for a promotion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .59 Chapter 7: The lnherited Boss.. . he's got big plans (to replace you) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .69 Chapter 8: The Credit Snatcher.. . when it comes to getting credit, she's the company's only asset . . . . . . .83 Chapter 9: The Bully.. . he uses his power to frighten the troops . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .95 Chapter 10: The Coward... he won't stand u.pfor the u~ork his people . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..I07 or Chapter 1 1 : The Temporary Boss. . . thehiredgun . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .119 . Chapter 12: The Spin Doctor.. . he conjures up new business projects out of thin air . . . . . . . . . . . ..I29 Chapter 13: The Insatiable Narcissist.. . she sees every project as a reflection of her own greatness . . . . . . . . . .14 1 Chapter 14: Enraged and Addicted.. . the rageaholic boss . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15 1 Chapter 15: The Sheltered Sultan.. . he fails to see the handwriting on the wall . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .I63 Chapter 1 6: Swindlers, Defrauders, and Company Cheats (Know Anyone Like This?)... it's impossible to get a straight answer about the bottom line . .173 PART 2: Colleagues from Purgatory (90 Problems190 Solutions) And now, for the problem adults d m m the hallway. Chapter 17: The Coddled Superstar. .. she insists on s~ecial treatment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .187 Chapter 18: The Grumpy RiIartyr... he's got an incurable sense of entitlement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I 97 Chapter 19: The Employee Nobody Likes but You.. . she's dragging doum the whole team . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .209 Chapter 20: The Veteran Hack.. . he's been doing it the same way since before you were born . . . . . . . .223 Chapter 2 1 : The You Wannabe (Who's After Your Job)... she\ just like you, only less expensive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..233 Chapter 22: The Spineless Sycophant.. . he bends whichever way top management does . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .245 Chapter 23: Suddenly Single.. . she's confusing the ofice pool ,with the dating pool . . . . . . . . . . . . ..255 Chapter 24: Mr. Mumble, a.k.a. The Subversive Employee. .. it's hard to argue with him, since he's incomprehensible . . . . . . . . . .,269 Chapter 25: Your Partner, J udas ... when hei not working with you, he's trying to stab pu in the back . .279 Chapter 26: The Neu b'1e... she's constantly asking you things that have no answer . . . . . . . . . . ,289 Chapter 27: The Watercooler Wag.. . she p t s the gloss on office gossip . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3OI Chapter 28: The Paranoid Nut.. . he sees all sorts of plot machinations that aren't there . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 1 1 Chapter 29: The Weak Link.. . he excels at underperforming . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..323 Chapter 30: Ruby Rudest. .. . she's j u s ~ rube I a cube . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33 5 a n Chapter 3 1: Desperately Seeking Approval.. . she craves praise 2417 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .347 Chapter 32: The Bald-Faced Liar.. . truthfulness isn't his strong suit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .357 Chapter 33: The Waffler. .. .369 he's too scared to make a decision . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Chapter 34: The Boss's Pet.. . she's elevated kissing u p to a higher art form . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3 79 PART 3: When the Problem Lies Within (3 1 Problems/3 1 Solutions) Chapter 35: I'm Not a People Person.. . . I'm not a team $ayer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..39 1 Chapter 36: I Hate Coming to Work Every Day.. . I'm counting the minutes until Friday . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..399 Chapter 37: Imposter Syndrome.. . . Ifeel like lPmfaking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .407 .it Chapter 38: I'm Having Trouble Exerting My Authority.. . no one ever listens to me . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..4 15 Chapter 39: I'm a Total Perfectionist., . I hate to delegate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .,423 Chapter 40: I'm Too Smart for This Job.. . . the people l work with are idiots! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .433 Chapter 4 1: My SpouseISignificant OtherIChildren Never See Me Anymore.. . I want wzy life back . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .44 1 Chapter 42: I'm a Supremely Sensitive Creature.. . my moods control me . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..449 Chapter 43: The Fuzziness Factor.. . I'm disorganized, disheveled, and discombobulated . . . . . . . . . . . . ..45 7 Chapter 44: Midlife Crisis, Quarter-Life Crisis, or A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Office.. .one day, I just snupped . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ,465 Conclusion: The Secret of Getting Along with Just about Anyone . . . . . . . . . . ,473 Endnotes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 477 . Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .481 .