A Human Resource supervisor at a local bank told us recently that her Boss rated her a poor team player. And she wanted to know what she could do to change that situation. Beyond the rating, she felt she was working under a ''bad Boss'' for a number of other things she wanted to keep confidential.
Her colleagues and I told her during the workshop that she could do any one of the following:
Now the last recommendation was met with stiff opposition. Another participant reminded me of the harsh job market that makes it almost impossible to get a low level job. Current unemployment in Kampala is 11% according to Uganda Bureau of Statistics. Somehow, most participants felt that the Human Resource supervisor should ''just continue to work'' for this Boss no matter how bad the situation got. After all, I was reminded, Bosses are known to be that way ''especially in the public sector''.
Now the image of an employee who chooses to work under a bad Boss did not sit well with me no matter the unemployment rate. I believe that people should take responsibility for their actions and decisions, including managing the relationship between you and your Boss. The consequences of not doing so could be dire.
According to A study from Baylor University found that the stress and tension caused by an abusive boss at work also filters through to an employee's personal relationships and ultimately the whole family. When people reported having an abusive boss, their significant other was more likely to report increased relationship tension and family conflict at home.
Like a Swedish study from 2008 that found bad bosses increase employee heart attack risk, the Baylor study puts the onus for fixing the problem on the organization, the same organization that hired and promoted the abusive boss. People with an abusive boss are usually advised to first try speaking with him or her and if that doesn't help, to take the problem to higher management.
Her colleagues and I told her during the workshop that she could do any one of the following:
1. Find out from her Boss what she can do specifically to be a better team player
2. Ask her Boss to support her (coach and mentor) in the process
3. Take full responsibility for implementing the action plan from (1) and (2) above
3. And if (3) above doe not work, look for the possibility of getting another Boss at her current place of work or elsewhere
Now the last recommendation was met with stiff opposition. Another participant reminded me of the harsh job market that makes it almost impossible to get a low level job. Current unemployment in Kampala is 11% according to Uganda Bureau of Statistics. Somehow, most participants felt that the Human Resource supervisor should ''just continue to work'' for this Boss no matter how bad the situation got. After all, I was reminded, Bosses are known to be that way ''especially in the public sector''.
Now the image of an employee who chooses to work under a bad Boss did not sit well with me no matter the unemployment rate. I believe that people should take responsibility for their actions and decisions, including managing the relationship between you and your Boss. The consequences of not doing so could be dire.
According to A study from Baylor University found that the stress and tension caused by an abusive boss at work also filters through to an employee's personal relationships and ultimately the whole family. When people reported having an abusive boss, their significant other was more likely to report increased relationship tension and family conflict at home.
Like a Swedish study from 2008 that found bad bosses increase employee heart attack risk, the Baylor study puts the onus for fixing the problem on the organization, the same organization that hired and promoted the abusive boss. People with an abusive boss are usually advised to first try speaking with him or her and if that doesn't help, to take the problem to higher management.
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