Nine Nightmare Bosses

Whenever I think of bad bosses, two people come to mind: the callous and insensitive PR director who made my life hell for a year and the bird-brained supervisor in the movie Office Space. I wouldn't wish either boss on anyone except maybe my worst enemy.

Although two-thirds of workers are satisfied with who they report to, the remaining third is dissatisfied with their bosses. Today's workers are voicing concerns with their supervisor's ability to lead, with 42 percent stating they can do their supervisor's job better. Part of their criticism is attributed to the amount of individual attention given to employees, as well as perceptions of character. Twenty-four percent say their supervisor does not take time to review job concerns, and 22 percent say their supervisor is not trustworthy.

Chances are, you've encountered a supervisor who has made your life miserable or made work days unbearable. Like the supervisor who made an employee write her papers for her MBA classes, then turned around and wrote the employee up for doing it on company time. Or the executive vice president who addressed an employee's weight rather than performance in an annual review.

Just as there is a myriad of nightmare bosses, there are many ways to deal with their workplace terrors. In The Worst Case Scenario Survival Handbook: Work (Chronicle Books), Joshua Piven and David Borgenicht describe some of these bosses and how to deal with them.

The Control Freak micromanages every move you make.
How to Deal: Bombard this person with emails, reports and meetings. This might overwhelm him and throw off his controlling behavior.

The Buddy tries to solicit personal information and seeks inclusion as though you are best of friends.
How to Deal: Include this person but keep your distance. Invent a fictional hobby, extend invitations you know she can't accept, and avoid hugs.

The Workaholic has sacrificed his life for his job and expects the same from you.
How to Deal: Let this person know there is life outside of work. Discuss family, friends and hobbies at every opportunity.

The Teller of Bad Jokes always has one for you and it's always bad.
How to Deal: Be prepared for the painful punchline and feign amusement. Then change the subject.

The Supreme Delegator takes all of the credit and none of the blame and essentially is setting up others to take the fall.
How to Deal: In writing, advise on all key decisions and plans, but be prepared for a denial of knowledge if anything goes wrong.

The Yes/No Manager could care less about useful information or discussions and simply wants every decision boiled down to "yes" or "no."
How to Deal: Present summaries with several alternatives for action. If asked for a recommendation, give it orally.

The Passive-Aggressive Boss procrastinates, complains about not enough time, and then blames others for the bad job.
How to Deal: Involve others in projects as much as necessary so that you have witnesses.

The Indecision Maker needs info from many different sources before making any sort of "independent" decision.
How to Deal: Present any question as if you've taken an informational survey of any key employees who might have a stake in the problem.

The All-Business-is-Personal Manager can't separate business and personal life.
How to Deal: Make your work time enjoyable, one bad incident could ruin your work relationship.

In the long run, though, your nightmare could turn into a sweet dream. That toxic supervisor could be the motivating factor for you to make a change for the better.