What to do about your flaky boss?

April 7, 2008 · Filed Under Adventures in (Mis)Management 

From the mailbag:

My boss is a flake and I think it could ruin my career by him going overboard and me be pulled down with him. What should I do?

While this isn’t a true mailbag (I was asked it on Instant Messaging), it is a great question.

People always seem to get nervous whenever their boss is in the doghouse and they can get outright upset if their boss is fired.

Now I am not going to do what I am often paid to do: pat your head and tell you it will be alright. Truth be told, it may well NOT be alright. After all, bosses usually don’t get fired for no reason. And in with bad bosses usually comes bad hires. Granted, a bad boss can have a good eye for talent, people who understand talent usually are effective in leveraging their talented team into success for them.

Granted you may be granted a reprieve for working with a moron, it is likely that the boss will be replaced with someone. Someone who may not like you. Someone who may want to replace you with their own version of the perfect employee.

But let’s back up here a second: you knew this was coming, right? You knew your boss was going to be fired, RIGHT? So if you stopped networking because you felt comfortable, you started doing it again, You revised your resume. You did do all of those things, right?

Because if you didn’t…start doing it. NOW.

And if you don’t pick up on the signs that your boss is about to get him or herself canned, perk up those eyes and ears for a little awareness training. Other than the obvious signs (unexplained absences, searching Monster during work), showing a decreased level of interest in work (that would include YOU if you are his or her employee) or an increased level of work induced anxiety can be a good starting point.

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One Response to “What to do about your flaky boss?”

  1. Resources for Human Resources, Volume I on June 20th, 2008 10:13 am

    [...] blog written for the layperson. Talented blogger Lance Haun has some great advice, such as what to do about a flaky boss, and how to counter-offer when a valued employee attempts to [...]

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    Your HR Guy is a Human Resources Generalist practicing in the field. But don't let that fool you, this isn't a boring blog. I seek relevance and humor in a place we will spend much of our lives. Everything from workplace issues, job seeking and terrible bosses. Read more...

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