How to be a shitty manager.

Never once consider or acknowledge that complete departmental upheaval and rumors of job cuts *might* have something to do with low morale. No, clearly it's simply a matter of people with bad attitudes for no apparent reason.

Never once consider or acknowledge that very talented and experienced employees might be justifiably upset that we suddenly have three bosses instead of one and we now have absolutely no design control over our projects. We have all been virtually demoted to keyboard jockeys who push buttons, and we're supposed to be happy about it.

When an employee comes to you and tells you that she is having trouble meeting deadlines because the two new bosses want to micromanage every project to death, make sure you berate her and tell her that the work is not rocket science. Make sure she understands that it's solely her fault if deadlines aren't met.

Later that same day, minutes before the employee needs to leave to pick up her child, call her into your office by LYING to her about needing to discuss a project then AMBUSH her with a tirade about her bad attitude and other failings. Heaven forbid you say to this person "Hey I know you have to leave, but maybe tomorrow we can meet to discuss what's going on and see if we can't work some of this out." No, definitely the way to go is to ambush them when they have no chance to gather their thoughts and no time to discuss anything at length. Oh, and make sure you also openly insult other subordinates in that meeting so that it's abundantly clear how you talk about everyone behind their backs. How mature, and professional to boot! Super!

Yes, all of this happened today to my coworker, and similar stuff has happened to me before. I have learned my lesson about talking to anyone about trying to change the situation, because no one in management thinks that they are doing anything wrong.

So, anyone else want to add to this list? I'd be willing to bet that anything you write will be something one of my three bosses has done recently. Back-stabbing? You bet! Gossiping, undermining, lying to cover your own ass? Check, check, and check. Getting someone fired because they make you look bad? Yup. Giving promotions and special consideration to the people who get stoned and drunk with you? Of course!

Come on give me your worst...

sounds just like my office.

we're about 20% down on staff from where we should be. every time they tell us they're going to fill the positions, they turn around the next month and say we're in a hiring freeze. shit, we can't even fill positions when people quit. then they wonder why morale is low.

i've had the big boss do the 'i want to see how you're doing' thing and then tear me apart for for having human decency.

my immediate supervisor expects me to do three times the work of anyone else on staff and then gets pissy with me when i ask for help. but when it gets to review time, i get hosed because i make a few mistakes because i'm doing three times the work and she tells me i need to ask for help more often.

i'm the only one on staff expected to work 12 hour days and split shifts. my female boss treats me like shit because i don't have a penis or kids. i also get paid 12% less than the new guy despite the fact we have the exact same education (we went to the same school, got the same degree and graduated the same year) and the same amount of experience.

i too have a number of different bosses, none of whom talk to each other, so i'm telling each of them the same thing within an hour.

needless to say i'm looking for a new job.

ok, i'm done ranting

fucking take this anymore. I don't need this bullshit. I've worked too hard for too long to put up with it anymore.

he wanted us to help him craft a presentation that none of us believed in and has been acting extra nice to get us to help him...and we all know after he gets what he wants...he will screw us over.

He has consistently promoted the biggest morons over those who do the work.

I also want to add that he has made comments that could get him fired but it isn't worth losing your own job to do it...

have been SUPER patronizing to my coworker and to me (because they know she told me what happened and because I was one of the people they insulted when they were berating her).

One of them actually stopped my coworker in the hall this morning and, in a super sugary sweet voice, asked "Are you feeling better today?" as if my coworker had been PMSing or having a tantrum or something as opposed to having a legitimate reason to be angry. I don't know how my coworker managed to restrain herself from slapping the woman silly. How condescending and disrespectful!

RE: "I also want to add that he has made comments that could get him fired but it isn't worth losing your own job to do it..." I know exactly what you mean. There's no point reporting my bosses because it'll just get me fired and everyone else punished in some way. But they have all made the most inappropriate, bitchy, disrespectful and downright slanderous comments about nearly everyone here and they just get away with it. Nevermind that two of them regularly get stone and drunk with some coworkers and then DRIVE HOME like that.

Shitty managers, I mean.

I'd add to that list, "Always use a sledgehammer to swat a fly."

Seriously, if you haven't already, google "workplace bullying." Maybe you can find some tips that will be useful.

I feel your pain. :hug:

Right back attcha! :hug:

I have nothing to add.

:hi:

I worked for a university media center once. Shortly after I was hired by the director, a co-director was appointed. Bad idea.

Director #1: "Listen, whatever Director #2 tells you to do, just ignore her and tell me what she said. She's out to get my job."

Director #2: "We all know that Director #1 is an idiot, so I don't want you doing anything he tells you to do."

Director #2 was a micromanager who ended up sitting next to me at the computer as I designed a flyer: "That font is a little too big. Let's bump it down a point or two. And move it over to the left. More, more, more. There. I don't like that color either, change it to more of a reddish. More, more, more." I offered her the keyboard, but it was apparently beneath her to push her own pixels.

One day Director #2 tells me the theme for a new batch of promotional materials for the Small Business Incubator will be DNA. "So like maybe you could make us an illustration of the double-helix with various photos lined up along it and - " DNA? What has DNA got to do with starting a small business? "I don't think you and I are going to work very well together." Yeah, no shit. I bailed after 3 months of this shit.

six years and I have reached my saturation point.

Fuck. This. Shit.