The Bad-Boss Pattern

In the April 9 issue of New York Magazine, author Steve Fishman writes an in-depth article laying out why so many workers dislike their bosses. Fishman quotes Robert Sutton, a Stanford professor who studies the topic, who says bosses tend to give off "subtle nasty moves like glaring and condescending comments, explicit moves like insults or put-downs, and even physical intimidation." Sutton, who has written extensively on the subject of bosses in academic journals, just released a book on creating a civil workplace titled The No Asshole Rule: Building a Civilized Workplace and Surviving One That Isn’t.

Fishman writes that organizations continue to promote people with poor leadership skills not only because bosses tend to promote individuals who are like themselves, but also because employees tend to view rude and inflexible individuals as candidates for supervisory roles. “Employees tend to see the jerk, the narcissist, and yes, even the asshole, as boss material,” the article states.

Hat tip: Slashdot