Comments on: My Worst Boss Ever: Hard-Earned Lessons on Entrepreneurship and Leadership From Members of Boston’s Innovation Community http://www.xconomy.com/boston/2009/10/28/my-worst-boss-ever-hard-earned-lessons-on-entrepreneurship-and-leadership-from-members-of-boston%e2%80%99s-innovation-community/ Business + Technology in the Exponential Economy Sat, 11 Feb 2012 12:29:49 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.4 By: George Runkle http://www.xconomy.com/boston/2009/10/28/my-worst-boss-ever-hard-earned-lessons-on-entrepreneurship-and-leadership-from-members-of-boston%e2%80%99s-innovation-community/comment-page-1/#comment-425727 George Runkle Tue, 21 Jun 2011 04:24:21 +0000 http://www.xconomy.com/?p=47969#comment-425727 Unfortunately, I've had a series of bad bosses, but I think the worst one I had was early in my career. He was verbally abusive, a nitpicker, and had a severe drinking problem. I lasted a year, and it was a horrible year at that. I realize now that I am a little bit older than he was at the time that the man was very insecure because of his many issues, and probably felt threatened by me. I still made the right decision to quit, it wasn't worth the man making his problems my problems. I think the best solution when you get a really bad boss is to go find another position, these type of people cannot be dealt with. Unfortunately, I’ve had a series of bad bosses, but I think the worst one I had was early in my career. He was verbally abusive, a nitpicker, and had a severe drinking problem. I lasted a year, and it was a horrible year at that. I realize now that I am a little bit older than he was at the time that the man was very insecure because of his many issues, and probably felt threatened by me.

I still made the right decision to quit, it wasn’t worth the man making his problems my problems. I think the best solution when you get a really bad boss is to go find another position, these type of people cannot be dealt with.

]]> By: Majorshadow http://www.xconomy.com/boston/2009/10/28/my-worst-boss-ever-hard-earned-lessons-on-entrepreneurship-and-leadership-from-members-of-boston%e2%80%99s-innovation-community/comment-page-1/#comment-202861 Majorshadow Wed, 01 Sep 2010 15:47:51 +0000 http://www.xconomy.com/?p=47969#comment-202861 BAD BOSS, to hear, click on the URL below http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D1X32fW_h30 BAD BOSS,

to hear, click on the URL below
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D1X32fW_h30

]]> By: Jinx http://www.xconomy.com/boston/2009/10/28/my-worst-boss-ever-hard-earned-lessons-on-entrepreneurship-and-leadership-from-members-of-boston%e2%80%99s-innovation-community/comment-page-1/#comment-136223 Jinx Wed, 26 May 2010 20:54:06 +0000 http://www.xconomy.com/?p=47969#comment-136223 My worst boss became my boss on the literal day I was 9 months pregnant. Her first words were, "What a shame you have to take a leave right when I should be getting to know you." The upshot of that conversation was that, rather than taking an already too short 8 weeks off, I took six. When I returned, I became the second victim in what her 10-odd direct reports realized was a pattern: She would pick the weakest person, and make that person's life miserable for a couple of months. During that time, you could do nothing right. The first victim had been a competent, but weak and defenseless benefits manager. I was exhausted (infants don't sleep for longer than 2 or 3 hours, so neither do you) to the point of being unable to think. When she started in on the third victim after destroying my self-confidence, several of us recognized a pattern and discussed it. We began to do everything we could to help the current victim. We began to work around our boss and directly with other executives in the company, because she was simply an obstacle in serving our internal clients. They knew it (one actually asked me why she felt she had to be so mean and difficult), so they were approaching us directly anyway. By the time our company was acquired by a much larger company in the same business, she was totally ineffective, and that was communicated (by one of my colleagues, another of her direct reports) to people in the new company. She was fired the day after the acquisition was completed. I now work with academics, which will make you lose faith in acadamic research, which is subject to the same silly fads as business practices. My worst boss became my boss on the literal day I was 9 months pregnant. Her first words were, “What a shame you have to take a leave right when I should be getting to know you.” The upshot of that conversation was that, rather than taking an already too short 8 weeks off, I took six. When I returned, I became the second victim in what her 10-odd direct reports realized was a pattern: She would pick the weakest person, and make that person’s life miserable for a couple of months. During that time, you could do nothing right. The first victim had been a competent, but weak and defenseless benefits manager. I was exhausted (infants don’t sleep for longer than 2 or 3 hours, so neither do you) to the point of being unable to think. When she started in on the third victim after destroying my self-confidence, several of us recognized a pattern and discussed it. We began to do everything we could to help the current victim. We began to work around our boss and directly with other executives in the company, because she was simply an obstacle in serving our internal clients. They knew it (one actually asked me why she felt she had to be so mean and difficult), so they were approaching us directly anyway. By the time our company was acquired by a much larger company in the same business, she was totally ineffective, and that was communicated (by one of my colleagues, another of her direct reports) to people in the new company. She was fired the day after the acquisition was completed.

I now work with academics, which will make you lose faith in acadamic research, which is subject to the same silly fads as business practices.

]]> By: Todd Lian http://www.xconomy.com/boston/2009/10/28/my-worst-boss-ever-hard-earned-lessons-on-entrepreneurship-and-leadership-from-members-of-boston%e2%80%99s-innovation-community/comment-page-1/#comment-134407 Todd Lian Sun, 23 May 2010 00:12:20 +0000 http://www.xconomy.com/?p=47969#comment-134407 The worst boss I ever had was bi-polar, manic who was probably on some type of amphetimine turned into a president of a company by her dying brilliant but ill 80 year old father. She made sweeping generalizations and management decisions based on innunendo and hear say from her mentally retarded (truly) sister who stalked people at the company, a lady who claimed to have an escape route booked in case a gun man came to shoot her down. She runs one of the worst Websites of all times, and still uses PIC for her systems work (invented before Bill Gates was born), was once fired by her own father for having sex in the office with a married man, is known to get so drunk she passes out on bars, talks so fast in rapid succession but yet makes no logical sense whatsoever. She now is systematically destroying the lives of everyone in the company rearranging deck chairs while her father's Titantic sinks. A glorious publishing company in it's day turned to a political quagmire of political dinosaurs who claw and scratch each other to death while pretending to be your friend and Christian too, as this pathetic, sexist, racist company turns in it's rat infested, mildewed grave in Nokomis, Florida. The worst boss I ever had was bi-polar, manic who was probably on some type of amphetimine turned into a president of a company by her dying brilliant but ill 80 year old father. She made sweeping generalizations and management decisions based on innunendo and hear say from her mentally retarded (truly) sister who stalked people at the company, a lady who claimed to have an escape route booked in case a gun man came to shoot her down. She runs one of the worst Websites of all times, and still uses PIC for her systems work (invented before Bill Gates was born), was once fired by her own father for having sex in the office with a married man, is known to get so drunk she passes out on bars, talks so fast in rapid succession but yet makes no logical sense whatsoever. She now is systematically destroying the lives of everyone in the company rearranging deck chairs while her father’s Titantic sinks. A glorious publishing company in it’s day turned to a political quagmire of political dinosaurs who claw and scratch each other to death while pretending to be your friend and Christian too, as this pathetic, sexist, racist company turns in it’s rat infested, mildewed grave in Nokomis, Florida.

]]> By: Terry Smith http://www.xconomy.com/boston/2009/10/28/my-worst-boss-ever-hard-earned-lessons-on-entrepreneurship-and-leadership-from-members-of-boston%e2%80%99s-innovation-community/comment-page-1/#comment-91993 Terry Smith Thu, 12 Nov 2009 23:15:56 +0000 http://www.xconomy.com/?p=47969#comment-91993 My worst boss - in 1981 - had me working on his crap QBASIC AR system. Buggy, crufty, full of gotos and with no comments or docs at all, if you asked him what stuff did, you were an idiot and he would tell you you were an idiot, loudly, in front of the entire office. My worst boss – in 1981 – had me working on his crap QBASIC AR system.

Buggy, crufty, full of gotos and with no comments or docs at all, if you asked him what stuff did, you were an idiot and he would tell you you were an idiot, loudly, in front of the entire office.

]]> By: Charles Q. Tran http://www.xconomy.com/boston/2009/10/28/my-worst-boss-ever-hard-earned-lessons-on-entrepreneurship-and-leadership-from-members-of-boston%e2%80%99s-innovation-community/comment-page-1/#comment-91536 Charles Q. Tran Wed, 11 Nov 2009 09:28:00 +0000 http://www.xconomy.com/?p=47969#comment-91536 I was fortunate to have a few great and worst bosses in my 20 years career. Lessons: Great bosses would not last long and he took you down with him. The worst bosses with his cronies ended up destroyed everything else later. Nobody care. I was fortunate to have a few great and worst bosses in my 20 years career.
Lessons: Great bosses would not last long and he took you down with him. The worst bosses with his cronies ended up destroyed everything else later. Nobody care.

]]> By: The Really Bad Boss Blog Roundup | Really Bad Boss http://www.xconomy.com/boston/2009/10/28/my-worst-boss-ever-hard-earned-lessons-on-entrepreneurship-and-leadership-from-members-of-boston%e2%80%99s-innovation-community/comment-page-1/#comment-89719 The Really Bad Boss Blog Roundup | Really Bad Boss Sun, 01 Nov 2009 00:27:44 +0000 http://www.xconomy.com/?p=47969#comment-89719 [...] Xconomy Boston – Robert Buden talks to members of Boston’s Innovation Community who’ve got really bad boss stories to share. Buden makes a great observation – many entrepreneurs have had really bad bosses.  Maybe we should be grateful to them. Ok, that’s pushing it. [...] [...] Xconomy Boston – Robert Buden talks to members of Boston’s Innovation Community who’ve got really bad boss stories to share. Buden makes a great observation – many entrepreneurs have had really bad bosses.  Maybe we should be grateful to them. Ok, that’s pushing it. [...]

]]> By: ska http://www.xconomy.com/boston/2009/10/28/my-worst-boss-ever-hard-earned-lessons-on-entrepreneurship-and-leadership-from-members-of-boston%e2%80%99s-innovation-community/comment-page-1/#comment-89426 ska Fri, 30 Oct 2009 19:18:18 +0000 http://www.xconomy.com/?p=47969#comment-89426 My first boss treated me like the village idiot. Constantly berating me if the fax machine ran out of paper or if the copy machine was jammed and left in disrepair. The best was when she handed me a huge tub of spare change and told me to go to the supermarket to buy candy for the office...and she wasn't kidding. I found out later that she was laughing at me behind my back to other employees, just trying to get me to quit! This was a sales job and in order to thwart her and her constant jabs I did my best to prove to her I wasn't an idiot by becoming the top sales person in the company therefore making myself very popular to the executives in the company. She was so bad I volunteered to work weekends until one Saturday she showed up trying to tell me how to arrange the front desk of the office among other micro managing garbage requests. I then sat her down and told her I had enough of the constant crap. She pretended that she didn't know what I was talking about and quickly stopped her behavior and set sights on my other co-worker. That co-worker was SO upset with me, but didn't have the gumption to stand up to the boss so ended up quitting. My first boss treated me like the village idiot. Constantly berating me if the fax machine ran out of paper or if the copy machine was jammed and left in disrepair. The best was when she handed me a huge tub of spare change and told me to go to the supermarket to buy candy for the office…and she wasn’t kidding. I found out later that she was laughing at me behind my back to other employees, just trying to get me to quit!

This was a sales job and in order to thwart her and her constant jabs I did my best to prove to her I wasn’t an idiot by becoming the top sales person in the company therefore making myself very popular to the executives in the company.

She was so bad I volunteered to work weekends until one Saturday she showed up trying to tell me how to arrange the front desk of the office among other micro managing garbage requests. I then sat her down and told her I had enough of the constant crap. She pretended that she didn’t know what I was talking about and quickly stopped her behavior and set sights on my other co-worker. That co-worker was SO upset with me, but didn’t have the gumption to stand up to the boss so ended up quitting.

]]> By: Brandon R Allen http://www.xconomy.com/boston/2009/10/28/my-worst-boss-ever-hard-earned-lessons-on-entrepreneurship-and-leadership-from-members-of-boston%e2%80%99s-innovation-community/comment-page-1/#comment-89154 Brandon R Allen Thu, 29 Oct 2009 16:38:55 +0000 http://www.xconomy.com/?p=47969#comment-89154 Sometimes the worst bosses aren;t that obvious as they are not outwardly abusive but kill you career but not being hands on enough. I can appreciate every bad boss I have ever had as inspiration on what not to do and to help me appreciate a good boss. Sometimes the worst bosses aren;t that obvious as they are not outwardly abusive but kill you career but not being hands on enough.

I can appreciate every bad boss I have ever had as inspiration on what not to do and to help me appreciate a good boss.

]]> By: RickSmithAuthor http://www.xconomy.com/boston/2009/10/28/my-worst-boss-ever-hard-earned-lessons-on-entrepreneurship-and-leadership-from-members-of-boston%e2%80%99s-innovation-community/comment-page-1/#comment-89072 RickSmithAuthor Thu, 29 Oct 2009 12:00:10 +0000 http://www.xconomy.com/?p=47969#comment-89072 I am not sure there is a worst boss (barring harassment or abuse). I have learned the most from the bosses i had that were bad. What's more, their bad behavior mostly comes from insecurities - if you can figure out what is bugging them, you can contribute positively and they will reward you. Its all about the learning, and sometimes it takes a bad boss to do that! Rick Smith I am not sure there is a worst boss (barring harassment or abuse).

I have learned the most from the bosses i had that were bad. What’s more, their bad behavior mostly comes from insecurities – if you can figure out what is bugging them, you can contribute positively and they will reward you.

Its all about the learning, and sometimes it takes a bad boss to do that!

Rick Smith

]]> By: Chuck Tanowitz http://www.xconomy.com/boston/2009/10/28/my-worst-boss-ever-hard-earned-lessons-on-entrepreneurship-and-leadership-from-members-of-boston%e2%80%99s-innovation-community/comment-page-1/#comment-88969 Chuck Tanowitz Thu, 29 Oct 2009 02:20:46 +0000 http://www.xconomy.com/?p=47969#comment-88969 I've had a number of bad bosses, but the worst was not my boss, but my bosses boss. My direct boss one day told me to choose between my job and my wife. It wasn't a fair decision to put on me. But what I realized later, when I found myself working for him again, was that it wasn't that he was such a bad boss, but HIS boss was horrible and that created terrible working conditions for all involved. The beatings extended down the line until everyone was abusive to everyone else. Lesson Learned: If the top of the org chart has lousy management skills, expect problems throughout. I’ve had a number of bad bosses, but the worst was not my boss, but my bosses boss.

My direct boss one day told me to choose between my job and my wife. It wasn’t a fair decision to put on me.

But what I realized later, when I found myself working for him again, was that it wasn’t that he was such a bad boss, but HIS boss was horrible and that created terrible working conditions for all involved. The beatings extended down the line until everyone was abusive to everyone else.

Lesson Learned: If the top of the org chart has lousy management skills, expect problems throughout.

]]> By: maj http://www.xconomy.com/boston/2009/10/28/my-worst-boss-ever-hard-earned-lessons-on-entrepreneurship-and-leadership-from-members-of-boston%e2%80%99s-innovation-community/comment-page-1/#comment-88918 maj Wed, 28 Oct 2009 20:38:33 +0000 http://www.xconomy.com/?p=47969#comment-88918 I'm currently experiencing the worst boss of my 15+ professional career. The best way to describe it, is as though I'm in an abusive relationship. Think it's time for an intervention. I’m currently experiencing the worst boss of my 15+ professional career. The best way to describe it, is as though I’m in an abusive relationship. Think it’s time for an intervention.

]]> By: StillWorkingThere http://www.xconomy.com/boston/2009/10/28/my-worst-boss-ever-hard-earned-lessons-on-entrepreneurship-and-leadership-from-members-of-boston%e2%80%99s-innovation-community/comment-page-1/#comment-88874 StillWorkingThere Wed, 28 Oct 2009 15:22:21 +0000 http://www.xconomy.com/?p=47969#comment-88874 Ahhhh... my worst boss. Asks for input then promptly argues against it. Assumes every request has an motive, because his do. Hires friends at the expense of the company. Has no respect for past success. Does not talk to his inherited staff. Actually the last one is a blessing! Ahhhh… my worst boss. Asks for input then promptly argues against it. Assumes every request has an motive, because his do.
Hires friends at the expense of the company.
Has no respect for past success. Does not talk to his inherited staff. Actually the last one is a blessing!

]]> By: Robert Buderi http://www.xconomy.com/boston/2009/10/28/my-worst-boss-ever-hard-earned-lessons-on-entrepreneurship-and-leadership-from-members-of-boston%e2%80%99s-innovation-community/comment-page-1/#comment-88865 Robert Buderi Wed, 28 Oct 2009 14:39:27 +0000 http://www.xconomy.com/?p=47969#comment-88865 Hi Jane, Thanks for your note. We always try to get a range of views into survey articles like this: younger, experienced, men, women, people from different fields, etc. And I did indeed query several women CEOs for this article. They either declined to participate or said they would come up with a story and failed to get back to me. Hi Jane,

Thanks for your note. We always try to get a range of views into survey articles like this: younger, experienced, men, women, people from different fields, etc. And I did indeed query several women CEOs for this article. They either declined to participate or said they would come up with a story and failed to get back to me.

]]> By: Jane http://www.xconomy.com/boston/2009/10/28/my-worst-boss-ever-hard-earned-lessons-on-entrepreneurship-and-leadership-from-members-of-boston%e2%80%99s-innovation-community/comment-page-1/#comment-88849 Jane Wed, 28 Oct 2009 13:27:55 +0000 http://www.xconomy.com/?p=47969#comment-88849 Why were no women interviewed for this story? My worst boss mixed OxyContin and Bombay Sapphire at the most important party of the year, barfed in front of clients, and mauled me physically -- he wasn't after my body, he just needed help standing up -- before someone called his family to drive him home. No matter what kind of boss you are to your employees, when you drive away customers and drive the company into bankruptcy, they're the ones who suffer most. Why were no women interviewed for this story?

My worst boss mixed OxyContin and Bombay Sapphire at the most important party of the year, barfed in front of clients, and mauled me physically — he wasn’t after my body, he just needed help standing up — before someone called his family to drive him home. No matter what kind of boss you are to your employees, when you drive away customers and drive the company into bankruptcy, they’re the ones who suffer most.

]]> By: Jules http://www.xconomy.com/boston/2009/10/28/my-worst-boss-ever-hard-earned-lessons-on-entrepreneurship-and-leadership-from-members-of-boston%e2%80%99s-innovation-community/comment-page-1/#comment-88834 Jules Wed, 28 Oct 2009 12:18:17 +0000 http://www.xconomy.com/?p=47969#comment-88834 My worst boss had it all going on: untreated bi-polar disorder, racist and sexist attitudes (predator,really), insecure and untravelled, and unbridled ego. The ego was the hardest part. When I joined the company I found he had turned some very smart and motivated people into a team of "yes men/women." They were smart enough to realize there was no reward or payoff for thinking, so they just stopped. They did what he told them to do, nothing more or less. My worst boss had it all going on: untreated bi-polar disorder, racist and sexist attitudes (predator,really), insecure and untravelled, and unbridled ego. The ego was the hardest part. When I joined the company I found he had turned some very smart and motivated people into a team of “yes men/women.” They were smart enough to realize there was no reward or payoff for thinking, so they just stopped. They did what he told them to do, nothing more or less.

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