There may also be internal mediation dynamics that require caucus. Sometimes the relationship between the parties has become problematic. A caucus can be called to allow parties to vent intense, built-up emotions without aggravating the other party. Sometimes caucuses are helpful in clarifying misperceptions. They may also be used to change unproductive or negative behavior, or to limit destructive communications between the parties.

In some cases, a caucus is called so the parties and mediator can clarify or assess the negotiation process that is being used. The caucus could involve the design of new procedures or might be held just to break negative trends that have developed during the process. Lastly, caucuses may be called by the mediator or parties to explore important negotiation issues. Sometimes it is necessary for the parties to redefine their interests, clarify their positions, identify new offers, or weigh the other party’s proposals in private.

Basic Caucus Steps

There is no standard procedure for conducting a caucus, but there are some general steps that a well-conducted caucus includes. So even though every caucus situation will be different, there are some general tips that are often useful: Open the caucus with a review of the confidentiality agreement for the session and then ask an open-ended question to start the conversation. (For example, how do you feel about what’s happening right now?) Once participants start talking, use active listening to clarify and summarize their statements. Take notes throughout the meeting. Test perceptions by asking the party questions about how they view their opponent’s interests and positions. Use methods such as confrontation, evaluating strengths and weaknesses of proposals, and focusing on interests, to loosen a party’s fixed positions and explore new options (see option identification). Summarize the content of the discussion often and test suggestions for integrative solutions (see integrative bargaining). Give the party opportunity for the party to mention other concerns not raised by the mediator. Close the caucus with a reminder about confidentiality and a request for any instructions on what to say to the other party. Hold a caucus with the other party to keep the process balanced and prevent feelings of distrust or suspicion regarding what went on in the first caucus.

Advantages of Caucuses

S.Y. Bowland describes the use of caucuses for anger management and reality testing, especially when dealing with issues of race or accusations of racism. There are a few significant advantages to caucuses: Separating the parties allows more open communication between the party in caucus and the mediator. This helps the mediator understand the party’s point of view more fully and keep the process moving forward. Without the presence of the other party, the party in caucus is likely to be less tense, angry, and defensive, and more flexible and creative. Because of the privacy of the arrangement, the party in caucus should feel more comfortable providing information about underlying interests and assumptions as well as suggesting new ideas for solutions. The privacy of the caucus also allows the mediator to interact more intimately with the party in caucus, without seeming biased to the other side. It also lets the mediator say positive things about the other side without pumping up their image of themselves. Lastly, because it is just the mediator and one of the parties, the mediator will be able to directly challenge that party to solve the problem. Without the other party present, the one in caucus will not be able to shift the responsibility.

Caucusing Considerations. Wallace Warfield Contrary to traditional wisdom, caucuses can prevent change, says Wallace Warfield. Forewarning/Explanation of Purpose: Whatever the reason for caucusing is, there are a few things mediators must do and consider if they are going to use this technique. At the beginning of the negotiation, mediators should explain what a caucus is and that they may be held at some time during the mediation. The parties should be aware of how caucuses can help. They must also know that either the parties or the mediator may ask for a caucus. Timing: Another aspect to consider is the timing of a private meeting.

Caucuses may be held at pretty much any time during negotiations, but the timing of a caucus in the negotiation process is usually associated with certain problems or tasks. For example, caucuses held toward the end of negotiations are usually “designed to break deadlocks [see stalemate], develop or assess proposals, develop a settlement formula, or achieve a psychological settlement.” Confidentiality is another major issue that mediators must consider before they use caucuses. In most cases, the mediator ensures that whatever is said in caucus will be kept confidential once the parties come back together for joint discussion. Some mediators use a system where only information that the parties specifically identify as confidential is kept secret. Still others prefer that no information be kept confidential and that the mediator has the right to use any information he sees as useful to the negotiation.

Trust: Mediators must also maintain the trust of the parties. The mediator must be sensitive to the fact that the party left out of the caucus may get suspicious of what went on behind the closed doors. One general rule for making sure trust is maintained is for each side to receive an equal number of caucuses. It is also good if the mediator keeps each caucus to about the same length of time. Sometimes it helps if the waiting party is given a task to do while the mediator talks with the other side. Nevertheless, the possibility of generating mistrust or suspicion does prevent some mediators from using caucuses at all.

Brad Spangler

http://www.beyondintractability.org

Bad bosses, in order of their frequency in the comments thread, do the following.

Love brownnosers, tattletales, and relatives who report to them. They choose favorite employees and cover up and make excuses for the poor work of their incompetent favorites.
They ignore selected people and discriminate against many employees.

Fail to communicate, and may not even have, expectations, timelines or goals. Bad bosses change their minds frequently leaving employees off-balance. Bad bosses change expectations and deadlines frequently.

Use disciplinary measures inappropriately when simple, positive communication would correct the problem. Bad bosses ignore employees until there is a problem, then pounce.

Speak loudly, rudely, one-sidedly to staff. Bad bosses don’t provide the air time for staff to respond to accusations and comments. They intimidate people and bully staff. They allow other employees to bully employees.

Take credit for the successes and positive accomplishments of employees. They are equally as quick to blame employees when something goes wrong.

Fail to provide rewards or recognition for positive employee performance.

These six were the top “bad boss” characteristics cited by readers. The following came up less frequently but were contributed by more than one reader.

The bad boss:

Is not qualified for the boss job by either skills or experience.

Will not let go of problems or mistakes. The bad boss returns to discuss negative events continually and searches for faults in employees.

Will not accept constructive feedback and suggestions for improvement. The bad boss can’t deal with disagreement from employees who have their own opinions about work related issues.

Lacks integrity, breaks promises, and is dishonest.

Does not have the courage to deal with a difficult situation despite knowing that it is the right thing to do.

Causes dissention among staff members by his or her actions and comments.

Reader comments also made the point that a lot of bad boss behavior is enabled, or at least allowed, by the boss’s bad boss.

These comments provide a snapshot about what employees believe makes a bad boss. Listen and learn or listen and commisserate. For the full flavor of the comments – I can’t capture them in a summary – please visit the original “comments” thread about bad bosses.
Ready to Leave Your Really Bad Boss?

Susan M. Heathfield

http://humanresources.about.com

Then, it may be time for you to quit your job. Or, alternatively, address the issues that you dislike about your current job. Without leaving your job, you may be able to solve the problems and make your current job – work.

Take a look at these six common reasons why people often leave their job.
These will help you determine whether it’s time to quit your current job or take action to make your current job – work. With a little work, you can identify changes that will re-invigorate your job and career.

Determine Why You Are Unhappy in Your Current Job

Do you dislike the work you do day-to-day on the job? Or, are there other problems that affect how you feel about your job? If you like the work and pinpoint other issues as the problem, consider what you can do to resolve these problems before you quit your job.

Good jobs are difficult to find. You don’t want to make a hasty decision or burn any bridges until you’ve thoughtfully considered your options. You may be able to make your job – work.

Following are the six common problems that prompt people to want to quit their job. See if you can find your reasons and use the advice provided to turn your work situation around. If you make your best effort and it doesn’t work, see: The Top Ten Reasons to Quit Your Job.
You Feel Stuck in Your Current Job

Are you feeling stuck in your current position with no hope of promotion? You look around your organization and don’t see any job you’d like to do next. You may want to explore options with your boss. Talk to your boss to make sure you’re right. Ask about opportunities for lateral moves and for more interesting, skill-stretching assignments. Most workplaces value initiative and people who want to continue to learn and grow. Consider swapping assignments with a coworker who feels like you do about trying something new. (Ask for your manager’s agreement, of course.)

You Feel Unappreciated in Your Current Job

You work hard every day, but you don’t feel your boss or your workplace recognize your efforts. You can’t remember the last time anyone thanked you for your contributions.
Tell your boss you would like her input about how she views your work. Tell the boss you’d like to sit down with him regularly to obtain feedback, both good and bad, so you can improve.

Offer to chair an employee recognition team that can develop a process for recognizing the hard work and efforts of all your coworkers. After all, if you’re feeling unappreciated, you can bet others are, too.

Sometimes, feeling unappreciated has to do with money. Ask your manager for a raise or ask when you can expect your compensation review. Follow up to make sure it happens. More About What You Can Do to Make Your Current Job Work. Explore how to make your current job – work, with the first suggestions in this article.

You Feel Overworked on Your Job

You probably are overworked. Employers have cut back on hiring and are expecting employees to do more with fewer resources.

At a local university, a customer service counter was staffed by five people until recently. Now, one person staffs the counter. Is she overworked or was the counter overstaffed in the first place? You will never convince her that the answer is anything but the first – overworked.
Talk with your employer, after collecting good data and evidence, if you find that the job is indeed more work than one person can comfortably handle. Brainstorm options that include these:
–hire a new employee,
–assign a part-time employee or intern to work with you,
–identify tasks you can stop doing, and
–determine the value-added tasks and eliminate non-critical job components.

Take time to flowchart your work processes and see where you have waste in the process.
Are you doing rework? How does extra time or steps make your work processes more difficult and time-consuming than they warrant?

You Dislike Your Career Field and Job

Sometimes, people discover that they have chosen the wrong career or field of work. They dislike the activities and the actual content of the job.

When I was twenty-one, I taught special education. While I loved the young people, I disliked the school setting and had little in common with many of my coworkers. I was not challenged for long by the content of the work either. Now, it’s thirty plus years later and I’m still teaching, just not in a public school.

You may experience something similar. If you fundamentally don’t like the work, consider these actions.
Spend a year exploring your career options and needs.
–Meet with people already working in the fields you are exploring.
–Determine education or credentials necessary to move on.
–Read books by authors such as Barbara Sher and Annie Gottlieb. Wishcraft and other recent career and job search books are good choices.
–Visit related career websites at About.

Make a careful plan with a timeline, and move on.

You Dislike Your Employer, Coworkers or Customers

Maybe you like your work but dislike your current employer, coworkers or customers. Explore your options to move to a different employer.

Make sure that the unhappiness isn’t inside of you, however, and that it really is due to the actions of others. (Perhaps your employer is unethical in his treatment of the customer. Maybe your coworkers are all miserable and constantly complaining about their work.)

Look carefully for a pattern in your own actions. As an example, do you repeatedly start out at a new job and location but then quickly becoming disillusioned? If you identify a pattern, the unhappiness may all be internally generated. If the unhappiness is inside of you, only you can make you feel better and make your job – work.

If you’re looking at new life options, consider signing up for these emailed tips:
Your Tip of the Week for Success in Work and Life.
Ten Days to a Happier, More Successful Career and Life.
Start out by exploring whether you have any control over any aspect of the situation that is bothering you. If you identify areas you control, try fixing them. Perhaps sitting in the break room listening to people complain is ruining your good spirits. Stay out of there for awhile to see if your outlook improves. Consider transferring to a new work area or trading customers with a coworker.

You Can’t Stand Your Boss

This is the number one reason people give for why they leave their current job or employer. When managers are nasty, abusive, and controlling, this is understandable. There are more subtle things some managers do, however, that drive staff away.

These include failing to:
provide direction,
involve people in decisions about their work,
appreciate staff contributions, and
help develop the talents and abilities of their employees.

If you find yourself in such a situation, try these actions.
Talk to your manager about your concerns. Many people don’t realize the affect their actions create. Others just don’t care. See which category your boss falls in.

If you are planning to leave anyway, you have not got a lot to lose. Talk with your manager’s boss or your Human Resources department to see if they can remedy the situation.

Transfer to a different department. Try to remove yourself from the manager’s influence.

I trust I’ve given you some ideas about addressing your current work situation that might substitute for leaving your current job. There are, however, legitimate times and legitimate reasons for moving on. Let’s explore those next in the The Top Ten Reasons to Quit Your Job.

Susan M. Heathfield,

http://humanresources.about.com/

But who are these bad bosses that might turn your life into a Dilbert strip? There are a few common types—but also a few common-sense ways of handling them.

The Micro-Managing Boss

While some bosses expect too much (see the Unreasonable Boss), it can also be a problem when bosses expect too little. That is, some don’t expect much independence or initiative because they don’t leave room for it. Instead of delegating, a micro-managing boss gets involved in your work to the point of getting in your way.

Whether your boss is delegationally challenged—or whether it’s just that a lot is riding on your work and the boss wants to be sure you can handle it—Joyce Lain Kennedy, author of Resumes for Dummies (3rd Edition) and a syndicated career columnist, says the solution is the same.

“Ask for a time when you can discuss the best ways to improve your contribution,” Kennedy says. “Be deferential, not ready for a fight.”

She suggests saying something like, “I think I can better support your efforts if I clearly understand the outcome you expect, and I would benefit from knowing more about your experience or preferred ways of working.” Then tell your boss that you will report back on a regular basis to receive feedback on your progress, explaining: “The more you have reason to trust my performance, the more time you’ll have to pursue other important matters.”

If you approach it like this, “the boss will get the drift,” Kennedy says. “Each time you receive a new assignment, do a mental checklist of desired outcomes, performance expected, land mines to avoid, resources available and deadlines. Then obtain confirmation from your boss that your understanding of the assignment agrees with how she sees it.” After going through this process a few times, Kennedy says, “trust will build and you’ll have fewer empowerment issues to ruin your day.”

Bettina Seidman, a career management coach in Manhattan who works with individuals and groups, advises that micro-managing bosses can be a particular problem in technology fields. “This is work that requires linear thinking,” she says, “and sometimes the people who do it best are the detail-oriented people, not the big picture people. It’s a fundamental dilemma.” Seidman offers some additional advice for dealing with this type of boss.

“If you’re new to a company, it’s important to wait a little bit and get a sense of the company culture,” she says. What you perceive as micro-management might simply be the way things work. It might also be that your boss—or the whole organization—is particularly stressed, and that you’ll be trusted more when a particular deadline has been met. It might even be that your boss is forced to micro-manage you in order to satisfy the demands of a micro-managing boss who’s higher up the ladder.

“Success requires a certain understanding of what’s going on around you,” says Seidman, who suggests asking around—tactfully—to see if others perceive your boss the same way you do. You’ll get a better sense of what’s going on overall, and you might find some allies.

“If everybody’s feeling the same way, then maybe two people can ask for a meeting with the manager and put together a discussion plan in advance.” One way to do it, Seidman suggests, is not to talk about micro-management as such, but to provide examples of things that have affected your ability to get your work done.

What you don’t want to do is simply charge into your boss’s office one day and announce, “I’m having a problem with the way we work together,” says Seidman. “How you present yourself, and the timing, are critical.”
The Ballistic Boss

Steve* knew his boss had a temper—he just didn’t know how bad it was until he ended up in the line of fire.

“A project that my team was working on had a number of delays, and one of them involved something that I was responsible for,” he says. “The pressure was on, and we were all putting in long hours to catch up. But in the middle of that, my boss called me into his office, and with the door wide open, he started yelling about the delay, about how much it was costing, and about how it was making him look bad. Anyone in that whole corner of the building could easily hear.

“It was so ridiculous. I was doing everything I could, and yet he lost his temper and acted as if I was doing something to personally offend him. And of course, he would rarely thank or congratulate us for the things we’d done well.”

Dealing with a berserk boss is bad under any circumstances, but it’s even worse when you haven’t done anything wrong. How should you respond?

“When your boss treats you like an amoeba, the very best response in 99% of cases is not to react,” says Joyce Lain Kennedy. “Acknowledge that you heard the diatribe—‘I understand. Thank you for the information.’—but don’t allow your face to get bent out of shape and don’t mouth off. Go home and sleep on it.

“No one does his best thinking on an adrenaline rush. You’ll have more power and better strategy the next day when the shock has worn off.” If nothing else, Kennedy says, if you do end up getting into a shouting match even after trying to cool down, “you’ll have had time to think of better counter punches.”

At times, however, you might not have the option of a temporary retreat. If your boss calls you out on the mat in the middle of a meeting, for example, you might need to respond right then and there.

“When your boss is having a bad temper day and you must answer in detail, keep your voice low and your delivery slow,” Kennedy says. “Speaking in moderate tones makes you seem like the adult and the belligerent boss like the child.”

Looking more mature than your boss might impress your coworkers, but that might not be enough if the problem continues. If your boss is doing something that’s unreasonable or unprofessional, Gerald Johnson, the author of Bad Bosses, Bad Jobs, Fight Back!, advises talking to the boss about it in private.

“Go to your boss and say, ’If you need to talk to me about something like this, can you do it in private?’” At the same time, however, Johnson says it’s important to document your efforts to get your boss to behave more professionally. Keep a record with a brief description of what you said and when, and what your boss’s response was. If your boss repeatedly blows up at you even after agreeing not to, a paper trail will come in handy if you have to take your complaint to the next level: your boss’s boss.

“More than likely that boss will come in and will actually solve the problem for you. They don’t like to lose good people, because it will cost them money to hire and train someone else,” Johnson says. If your boss already has a reputation for blowing up, the records that you’ve kept can become a part of helping to do something about it. If nothing else, showing that you’ve tried to solve the problem yourself, before you took it to anyone else, makes it clear that you’re not just a complainer and can boost your credibility.

A variation on the ballistic boss is the boss who only goes ballistic with certain people. Meanwhile, a “pet” of the boss might be allowed to get away with more and expected to do less.

“The fundamentals of being a good boss are respectful treatment and a concern for fairness in the workplace,” says Johnson. Not getting that, he says, is one of the most common complaints that people have about jobs, even more than pay. “It’s one of the things that gets people most upset.” Favoritism can happen at all levels, Johnson says, “and it really does hurt people.”

Boss favoritism creates unfair and uncomfortable situations, but again the way to deal with it involves documentation, says Johnson. Keep an eye on company policies that your boss is violating or overlooking, and be ready with specifics if you ever need to defend yourself or raise the subject with someone higher up. “If you sit back and do nothing about it,” Johnson says, a boss’s favoritism toward another employee “can reflect badly on you.”

Cara’s boss never lost her temper, but she had unrealistic expectations.

“No matter what I did, it was never enough for my first boss,” she said. “She didn’t realize how many things I had become responsible for in the first year since I’d been hired.”
The Unreasonable Boss

A close relative of the boss who goes berserk is the boss who has expectations that range from unreasonable to impossible—and this is another case where documentation comes in handy.

“Some bosses see the whole picture, but they don’t see all the details,” says Johnson. “You have to show them.”

To deal with a boss whose expectations are unrealistic, Johnson advises making a work study. That is, make a list of what you work on and for how long, over a period of a few days that are representative of your typical work load. “Then you take your work study and say, ‘Look, I’m concerned about not being able to get the job done. Maybe you can help me.’”

The trick is in having the records to back up what you’re saying. “You’ve got to document your efforts to get relief,” Johnson says. Once you do that and make your boss aware of everything that is coming across your desk, the ball is in his or her court. When your boss has a better understanding of what you’re contributing, you might get yourself some relief, Johnson says, and you might even get something more. You might get greater recognition, and Johnson even knows of employees who have been given a raise after making it clear how much they were doing.

In some cases your boss might expect too much of you and your coworkers without meaning any harm, but Johnson cautions against a similar type of boss that he calls the “finger-pointer.”

“That boss doesn’t say, ‘What happened?’ They say, ‘Who did it?’” They typically look for someone to blame, instead of concentrating on fixing the problem.

If you’re a scapegoat for this type of boss, Johnson advises paying particular attention to whatever performance reviews you might get. If your boss is taking something out on you in a written evaluation, Johnson advises against signing it. “Ask for another performance review. If you don’t do that, it can become a part of your record.” Once again, the key to your credibility—and the ability to make a case to others, if necessary—will likely be your ability to document the contribution you’re making.

The Inexperienced Boss

“I thought my boss was actually afraid of me,” said Mike, who took a job with a software start-up company after graduating. “He seemed like a nice enough guy, and I never really noticed anything odd during the job interviews. But after I’d worked there awhile, I realized that he never said much during meetings or in person. But then he would send me these emails, sometimes ‘yelling’ at me and other people who worked under him for things that we never even knew about. It was especially bad because things would kind of bottleneck around this boss, and then all of a sudden everybody would get emails from him about things that needed to be done yesterday.”

It’s surprising but true: some bosses don’t know how to be bosses. They might know their field well, but they don’t know how to work with and manage other people—and it can be a particular problem in technology fields.

Seidman says that this scenario is not unusual and suggests that many people with introverted personalities tend to be drawn to technology-related work in the first place. On top of that, they might never have received training or practice managing people, especially if their technical skills moved them up quickly in their company or organization.

“They came out of school, they were smart, they won awards, they came into companies, they worked their tails off, they got promoted, and their whole lives they’ve always been recognized for their abilities, for their skills,” Seidman says. “But all of a sudden they have to be able to talk to people, to manage people and to evaluate people. In some cases, they just don’t know how to do it.”

“They’re not dumb,” Seidman recognizes, “but just because you’re good at one thing doesn’t mean you’re good at another. In today’s world, you’ve got to be an expert and you’ve got to be a good manager.”

Christine Wilson says that discovering your boss doesn’t know how to be one can be particularly confusing if it happens to you right out of school, when you don’t have a lot of on-the-job experience and confidence yet yourself. “As a new employee, you go in thinking that your boss is supposed to know what to do, and they don’t.” Wilson says she consulted once with a boss who felt frustrated because his employees weren’t giving him reports on what they had been working on each day. She asked if he had simply ever asked them to do this, and he admitted, “No, I never have.”

In cases where your boss isn’t doing—or isn’t able to do—something that seems obvious, Wilson says it might help to accept your boss’s style (or the lack thereof) and learn to work around it.

“Figure out how the boss ticks,” she says. “Ask the boss periodically whether there’s anything else you can be doing. In this world of 24/7, it’s probably also useful to ask your boss what kind of reporting they want from you.” Bosses might not want you to talk to them in person everyday but would appreciate a quick email summary. On the other hand, they might only want to hear when you’ve finished a major project, not in-between. Adapt as much as you can to their style.

“You can’t usually change your boss’s behavior. You can only change yours to deal with what’s there,” says Wilson.

Other Advice

Bad bosses are out there, but some conflicts can be avoided before they occur. Be careful, says Christine Wilson, of “complaining too much about your boss” to people who seem sympathetic but may not be.

“We live in a world where what we’d like to do is blame the boss,” Wilson says, but going too far and seeming like a “malcontent” can damage your career. It’s also important to keep in mind the possibility that your boss might not simply be “bad,” but that “you haven’t figured out how the two of you click.”

One way to prevent or minimize problems is to be absolutely clear about what your boss’s expectations are at the beginning, when you’re starting a new job or project. “I’m a great believer that a person being given a task should take notes and make sure to feedback to the boss what your understanding was.

That gives clarity and confidence that this is what happened at that time.”

When measures like taking notes, trying to adapt to your boss’s style and other methods aren’t enough though, it can be tempting to head out the door.

But what if you can’t leave or if it’s not a wise career move?

“It’s a large problem if you clash with your boss on your first job—you need that reference!” says Joyce Lain Kennedy. “So do your best to grin and bear it until you can escape, then be classy about it. Look as good going away as you did coming in.”

“You might also be learning a great deal despite that awful boss,” says Wilson, who adds that it might just be a matter of hanging in there until you get everything that you can out of the job. For example, says Wilson, “you can just become tougher by noticing that your boss yells at everybody, not just you.”

“Dot every ‘i’ and cross every ‘t’ while you’re looking for the next job,” Wilson says. “You manage your boss by managing yourself.”

Chris Ott

http://www.graduatingengineer.com

In one landmark court case regarding the possible loss of exempt status, the judge said that an exempt employee is paid according to the value of his services and not the time it takes to perform the job. That and the fact that exempt employees are paid on a salary basis which does not change from pay period to pay period has led many to believe that exempt employees are free to come and go from work as they please, that they are not accountable for their time, that companies cannot require time sheets, and that exempt employees are not subject to a company’s attendance policies. All of these assumptions are false.

Why and Whom to Track? Historically, being an exempt employees carries with it some privileges if the company cares to mete out these perks. Exempt employees could leave work and get a haircut, spend 70 minutes at lunch, come in 15 minutes late, and so on, all of which would be considered infractions of policy if done by nonexempt employees. In other words, rank has its privileges. However, there are several caveats to what has just been said. First, to reiterate, the company had to allow such behaviors, and I have worked with and for many companies where, although an exempt employee could not be docked for coming in late in the morning or from lunch, most would managers would…

http://www.ewin.com/articles/track.htm

Docking Exempt Employees
By:  David M. Lira

Under the Fair Labor Standards Act, the key distinction is not between salaried and hourly employees.  The key distinction is between exempt and non-exempt employees. 
 
All employees are considered non-exempt unless an employee falls under an exception to this general rule.  An exception to the rule is called an exemption.  There are three big exemptions, and a good number of smaller ones.  The big three are for professional, executive and administrative employees.  To a very large extent, exactly which employees fall under the big three exemptions is determined under regulations from the US Department of Labor.  It is these regulations that you are reading about in the newspapers lately. 
 
Non-exempt employees are entitled to overtime after 40 hours in a workweek.  Exempt employees are not entitled to overtime, but employers can pay overtime to exempt employees if the the employers wishes to do so, and the employer can pay overtime to exempt employees on a basis other than time-and-a-half.  Non-exempt employees are typically paid on an hourly basis.  Exempt employees are typically paid on a flat rate or salaried basis. 
 
Generally, whether an employee is exempt depends not on the way the employee is paid, but on the type of work the employee does.  For example, a clerical employee would normally be considered a non-exempt employee entitled to overtime.  An employer cannot make a clerical employee an exempt employee by paying that employee a salary. 
 
And it is the work that is important, not the title.  So, an employer cannot make a file clerk an exempt employee by calling that file clerk a “vice-president for document storage,” if that employee’s primary job continues to be filing documents.  
 
Although the work is what is primary, an exempt employee can become a non-exempt employee if the employer treats the employee like a non-exempt employee.  For example, let’s take the example of attorneys working for a big law firm.  Attorneys would typically be considered exempt employees.  Attorneys usually keep detailed records about their time, but for billing purposes and not pay purposes.  Attorney time records would not make an attorney a non-exempt employee. 
 
But let’s say this big law firm started to require its attorneys to be in by 9 AM.  Not only that, but attorneys could take only two 10 minute breaks per day, and 30 minutes for lunch.  Any attorney failing to arrive on time, or taking more than the time allowed for breaks would be docked.  So, if an attorney arrived at 9:15 AM, that attorney would be docked for one-quarter hour of pay.  If another attorney took 60 minutes for lunch, that employee would be docked one-half hour of pay. 
 
In this hypothetical example, the attorneys in this big law firm would actually be non-exempt employees entitled to overtime.  Docking the attorneys for lateness isn’t illegal.  The docking only changes what the attorneys are entitled to receive as compensation. 
 
Note that not all docking will make exempt employees non-exempt.  For example, let’s say that one attonrey at this big firm decided to take a Monday off, for whatever reason.  Let’s say that this attorney had used up all of her available leave.  So, the law firm docks the attorney one full day of pay for the day taken off.  In this case, the docking of the full day will not cause that attorney to become a non-exempt employee entitled to overtime.  Generally speaking, exempt employees can be docked for full days, but not part days, without the exempt employee becoming a non-exempt employee.

http://www.myemploymentlawyer.com

Maybe you have a boss who is sexist or racist. Or perhaps a boss who takes all the credit for himself. Maybe your boss thinks you have no life outside work and makes you stay late everyday. Or perhaps a boss who gives out too many tasks with impossible to meet deadlines (or constantly changing deadlines). Maybe your boss is a pathological liar. Or perhaps the boss plays favorites.
Not All Bosses Are Bad

As much as we like to complain about our bosses, a recent survey found that 79 percent of workers respect their bosses a great deal. The survey, by accounting and financial staffing company Ajilon Finance, also asked what were the most important traits for a boss to posses:
· Leading by examples
· Strong ethics or morals
· Knowledge of the business
· Fairness
· Overall intelligence and competence
· Recognition of employees

Bad bosses — whether ogres, control freaks, jerks, micromanagers, or bumbling fools — can be found in all organizations. Pop culture loves to make fun of bad bosses, from the pointy-haired boss in the Dilbert comic strip, to the completely insipid boss from the British import “The Office,” to the anal-compulsive and mean boss of the movie Office Space… but bad bosses are no laughing matter when you have to face him or her every working day. And, unfortunately, with the rightsizing of the last several years, there are probably more overworked and undertrained bosses than ever. It’s also possible, though, that bad bossing is just part of the organization’s corporate culture.

One study found that almost 80 percent of the employees surveyed identified their boss as a lousy manager. And almost 70 percent in that 2001 study conducted by Delta Road stated that their immediate superior had “no clue” what to do to become a good manager. Author Harvey Hornstein, Ph.D., estimates that 90 percent of the U.S. work force has been subjected to abusive behavior at some time. He bases his conclusions on a survey of nearly 1,000 workers over eight years.

So, what can you do if you are working for a bad boss? This article will provide you with the tools you need to manage the situation as best you can, but remember that sometimes the only solution is transferring to a different part of the company — or switching employers.

Make sure you are doing everything right
The first solution is an honest analysis of your actions and behavior. How have you been handling yourself in your job? Have you always taken the high road, or have you resorted to occasional backstabbing, gossiping, or underperforming? If you’re human, it’s likely your bad boss has affected your performance, so try ignoring all these distractions and focus on your work to see if that changes anything. Find other sources of positive reinforcement for doing your job to the best of your abilities.

Compile a list of bad boss behaviors
The second solution is a bit more involved, but should be a cathartic experience for you. Make a list of all the things that your boss does that drive you nuts. Let the list sit for a few days and then review it again, adding or deleting activities upon further reflection. Next, rank the list from most annoying to least annoying. Pick the top two or three worst offenses and develop some suggestions for how your boss could act differently in those situations. Edit the suggestions to remove sarcasm or anger. Show the suggestions to a trusted friend who has no vested interest in the situation. Edit the suggestions again.

Once you feel comfortable that your suggestions are positive and helpful, consider scheduling a meeting with your boss to discuss. Perhaps suggest meeting outside the office for breakfast or lunch. Leave your emotions at the door, but be prepared for your boss to have an emotional reaction. It’s possible that your boss is unaware of his/her actions, and this meeting could be very positive for all involved; however, it’s also possible that the meeting will end badly.

Keep a journal of incidents
The third solution involves documenting each bad behavior of your boss in a journal. Don’t judge or write emotional reactions; simply document the facts of the situation and how the bad behavior impacted your performance — as well as others in the department. Again, this process may be enough to relieve you of the stress so that you can cope. However, at some point in the future — perhaps as you are leaving for a new job — you might consider taking the journal to a trusted colleague in human resources or even a mentor within the company.

Find a mentor with the company
If you love the company but hate the boss, another solution is to develop a mentoring relationship with a boss/supervisor in another part of the company. Mentoring is a fantastic strategy that you should consider even if you have a good boss because a mentor is someone who can help you in many ways, from offering advice to suggesting you for a promotion. And in coping with a bad boss, a mentor can be a good sounding board for you, and perhaps after you have documented all the offenses, someone who has the pull and the power to do something about your bad boss.

Report your bad boss
A last resort is reporting the bad actions/performance of your boss to his/her supervisor — or to someone in human resources. While logic would hold that the company would not want a manager who is hurting performance or productivity, the reality is often that you become branded as a trouble-maker/whiner/complainer and your days at the company quickly become numbered.

Don’t sacrifice your health or self-esteem
The worst thing you can do is simply to do nothing, hoping the problems will get resolved. No job, boss, or company is worth losing your health, sanity, or self-esteem. If you can’t find a way to resolve these issues and/or your boss simply will never change his/her behavior, you should immediately start working your network and begin looking for a new job — within or outside the organization. Again, if you love the company, a transfer might be the best option — but keep in mind that your boss might be as evil as to sabotage that transfer. And try not to quit before you find a new job, but again, if work just becomes too unbearable, you may need to consider quitting to save yourself.

Dr. Randall Hansen

This is page devoted to all IT professionals who suffer from psychopathic bosses.  Only those who already suffered or still suffering from one of those types can understand the level of pain as well as stakes involved in dealing with such individuals.

“Sanity” does not mean perfection; it merely means sufficient commerce with the real world to allow us to survive both day-by-day and in the long term – thus “sane” individuals obey traffic laws, learn from their mistakes and practical experience and, in the case of moral sanity, they recognize in others their worth and their capacity for joy and suffering. Furthermore, sanity implies a capacity to critically evaluate one’s experience, to distinguish fact from fiction, and to further adapt to the real world through that experience and knowledge.

Insanity, by implication, suggests a level of detachment from reality, a kind of “habitation” in an unreal, made-up world. The psychopath can not recognize the human worth and the capacity for pleasure and pain in others and in this sense he/she is living in an “unreal” world.  It can also be combined with other psychological disorders like paranoia. 

Psychopath is often defined as someone who displays several distinguishing characteristics, such as deceitfulness, impulsivity and a lack of remorse. Such people often have a superficial charm, which they exercise ruthlessly in order to get what they want.  See The psychopath in the corner office  page for the exploration of close connection of corporate psychopaths and ordinary criminals. 

Personality disorders can be defined (wikipedia )

Personality disorders form a class of mental disorders that are characterized by long-lasting rigid patterns of thought and actions. Because of the inflexibility and pervasiveness of these patterns, they can cause serious problems and impairment of functioning for the persons who are afflicted with these disorders.

Personality disorders are seen by the American Psychiatric Association as an enduring pattern of inner experience and behavior that deviates markedly from the expectations of the culture of the individual who exhibits it. These patterns are inflexible and pervasive across many situations. The onset of the pattern can be traced back at least to the beginning of adulthood. To be diagnosed as a personality disorder, a behavioral pattern must cause significant distress or impairment in personal, social, and/or occupational situations.

Related term Antisocial personality disorder  is defined as:

Antisocial personality disorder (abbreviated APD or ASPD) is a psychiatric diagnosis in the DSM-IV-TR recognizable by the disordered individual’s impulsive behavior, disregard for social norms, and indifference to the rights and feelings of others. The World Health Organization’s ICD-10 diagnostic manual uses [term] dissocial personality disorder instead.

They acquire stable patterns of behavior that may throw a monkey wrench into the most ordinary social interactions: A simple difference of opinion, for example, can quickly escalate into a major and violent conflict.

There were several attempts to classify corporate psychopaths  into various categories. Most of them are naive and completely unscientific. Most of self-help books represent  Cargo Cult Science  and vastly underestimate/misinterpret the danger. Good books on the topics are very few. I have some book recommendations but they are of course far from being absolute. Still several categories, while being unscientific, survived and represent at least what can be called “popular urban mythology” in this area that like any mythology is better then nothing.  Among them is there are the following non-orthogonal types (incarnations of a corporate psychopath)  are:
Bullies or aggressive psychopaths.

Aggression in inherent in psychopath and to tell that a psychopath is a bully is just to tell that the water is wet. But for some of them this pattern of behavior serves as the most favorite tactics and they tend to use it more often and more systematically. Those psychopaths have a distinct a tendency toward sadism and derive perverse gratification from harming others. They like to hurt, frighten, tyrannize. They do it for a sense of power and control, and will often only drop subtle hints about what they are up to. At the same time they polish their aggressive, domineering manner in such a way to disguise any intimidation as legitimate corporate behavior. Such pathological personalities always seek out positions of power, such as teacher, bureaucrat, manager, or police officer. You can also distinguish several subtypes. One not very convincing subtyping was developed by the Workplace Bullying & Trauma Institute. It includes for subtypes:
The constant critic who uses put downs, insults, name-calling, and makes aggressive eye contact.
The two-headed snake who pretends to be nice while sabotaging you.
The gatekeeper is also known as the micromanager and control freak
 Screaming Mimi is emotionally out of control and explosive.

Often bulling behavior is combined with paranoia tendencies (paranoiac self-defense).  Again this category is fuzzy.
Many if not all corporate bullies can simultaneously be classified as paranoid managers.
Many of them are also belong to the category of micromanagers.
Dominant part also falls into the category of narcissists.

I would like to stress it again  that aggression in inherent in psychopath and to tell that a psychopath is a bully is just to tell that the water is wet. 
US National Center for Education Statistics suggests that bullying can be broken into two categories:
 Direct bullying,
and indirect bullying which is also known as social aggression or indirect bullying.

The latter is characterized by forcing the victim into social isolation. This isolation is achieved through a wide variety of techniques, including refusing to socialize with the victim and criticizing the victim’s communication manner or other socially-significant markers.  Indirect bullying is more subtle and more likely to be verbal, such as the silent treatment, arguing others into submission, manipulation, gossip, staring, and mocking. While women can be as aggressive or even more aggressive then men (gender differences in aggression are subject to review; human society is too complex and direct project form animal world for example from great apes is of limited value) they usually are more indirect.

Here is one type from popular literature that fits the pattern:

The Fearmonger Boss. People do what a “fearsome” boss says because they’re afraid of him, which actually encourages further intimidation. He always has a threat, and he constantly follows through with that threat in order to keep his employees acquiescent.
Paranoids. Paranoid managers are psychopaths in whom continual mistrust and misjudgment of environment dominates other (often no less pathological) personality features.   Wikipedia defines paranoia in the following way:

Paranoid personality disorder is a psychiatric diagnosis that denotes a personality disorder with paranoid features. It is characterized by an exaggerated sensitivity to rejection, resentfulness, distrust, as well as the inclination to distort experienced events. Neutral and friendly actions of others are often misinterpreted as being hostile or contemptuous. Unfounded suspicions regarding the sexual loyalty of partners and loyalty in general as well as the belief that one’s rights are not being recognized is stubbornly and argumentatively insisted upon.

Paranoid managers are suspicious, touchy, humorless, quick to take offense and slow to forgive, self-righteous, argumentative, often litigious. They seldom show tenderness and may avoid intimacy; often they seem tense and brusque. Paranoid personalities find causal connections everywhere; for them nothing is coincidental.

They are constantly on guard and are hypersensitive to critique. They may take offense where none is intended. Often have problems with understanding humor. They appear cold and, in fact, often avoid becoming intimate with others. Often pride themselves on their rationality, objectivity and fairness. Paranoid managers rarely come forward to seek help from subordinates.

Often paranoia combines with “toxic incompetence” as they cannot make decision on time (analysis paralysis), insists of creating tons of useless documentation and due to this skip important project milestones, etc.  Fear of exposure of paranoid manager is blended into a pattern of pervasive distrust and suspiciousness. An inability to trust, doubts about others’ loyalty, distortion and fabrication of personal histories, qualifications and facts, misinterpretation, and bearing grudges unnecessarily are generally hallmarks of the disorder. Pathological and instinctive aggressive counter-attack, the need to control others is also a prominent feature. They like to collect evidence of subordinates. Paranoid managers often can be classified as “raw bullies” as in relations with subordinates prefer to rely on brute force.
 
Micromanagers. Tendency to micromanages is often combined with paranoia and bulling but often demonstrate additional disorder: obsessive-compulsive disorder (OSD).  It is often connected with pathological neatness, especially in women. Especially dangerous are paranoid incompetent micromanagers (PIMM) that we will study in more detail on a separate set of pages that include but not limited to (remember that micromanager are just an incarnation of corporate psychopaths that got a special status in corporate mythology):
Understanding Micromanagers and control freaks
Slightly Skeptical View on Survival under Maliciously Incompetent Micromanagers and Control Freaks
Enemy at the Gate: Rules of Communication with Maliciously Incompetent Micromanagers and Control Freaks
Documenting Micromanager Behavior

Micromanagers is one of the few areas were gender stereotyping might provide some survival benefits.  Women tend to be more detail oriented, and female corporate psychopaths more often tend to behave like micromanagers. Female PIMM can be mean, evil, vindictive and quite petty. If a female boss is insecure about her skills and abilities she is more likely to exhibit PIMM behavior.  Female PIMM are usually more skilled and use more often indirect aggression.

Often micromanagers are simultaneously can be classified as paranoid managers. Among common  traits are complete absence of trust in the staff, pathological need for control, pathologic dissatisfaction with results,  and recurring “tantrums.”

Many of PIMM can be also classified as bullies but again they, especially female PIMM, prefer indirect aggression to direct.  Usually, female PIMM encourage “little birds” to rest on their shoulders and whisper all forms of gossip. This, these minions believe, ingratiates them to their bosses.
 
Narcissists. Narsisstic managers are not that different from other types and also suffer from compulsive need for control (“control freaks”). Narcissistic behavior (aka inventive personality type) is compulsive desire to project positive image and resulting in volatile unstable behavior with emotional outbursts caused by insecurity and weakness rather than any real feelings of confidence or self-esteem. Very sensitive to criticism and do not accept slightest criticism from below. They often can be simultaneously classified both as bullies and micromanagers. As they need to steal all the achievements of subordinates to built their image they are typically  “gatekeepers” who try tightly control all the communications channels with the superiors’.  Can be quite paranoid and react inadequately on any threat to their projected image.

The narcissistic bosses are characterized by “a pervasive pattern of grandiosity, need for admiration, and lack of empathy,” often evidenced as envy, taking advantage of others, an exaggerated sense of self-importance and entitlement, and arrogant or haughty behavior. There is not much hope for the poor shmacs toiling for the narcissistic personality-disordered boss who demands perfection, unstinting loyalty, and 24/7 devotion to the job. 
 
Manipulator bosses or Machiavellian boss (“wolfs in sheep closing”). Manipulative psychopaths are probably the smoothest of corporate psychopaths. Here we will mean a class of  corporate psychopath who excels in manipulative behaviors including but not limited to flattery and seduction. All psychopaths use this to a certain extent but for this type this is a preferred tactic.

When this feature is prominent their features typical for corporate psychopath are usually present too. They are very similar to paranoid managers in their behavior toward subordinates but unlike paranoids are capable sometimes using flattery and seduction.

Also they prefer indirect aggression to direct. Often they have tendency to break rules and  exposit “grey” area in their favor.  This distinguishes them from paranoids, who other wise are very similar. They fear becoming less valued if their underlings get any recognition for exemplary work. Manipulator bosses are backstabbers who’ll go to frightening lengths to look good to their superiors.

Typically have a dual personality syndrome and behave completely differently with superiors then with subordinates.  Here is how they are described in one of Monster career self-help articles:

The Manipulator Boss
Also known as the Machiavellian boss, this type is extremely intelligent and one of the most dangerous. The manipulator boss is highly focused, very motivated, and always has a secret plan. He looks at people as a means to an end. The world is a giant pyramid and the apex is his. People he touches or runs over on the way to the top are casualties he writes off. If you work for a manipulator, watch your back. Your best bet is to be open and honest with him. Volunteer information. Your boss, who has long forgotten what truth is, will be left impressed by it.

Again this typology and characteristics listed ad defining each type are imprecise and unscientific; psychopath are very variable and it is often difficult to fit your particular psychopathic boss into any of those classes. And you generally should not.  This is exercise better reserved for modern “factories of illusion” (self-help books publishers) who are producing tons of low quality staff each year describing particular types although they are just facets of a generic psychopathic personality. In no way it should be blindly trusted either books or Web pages (including this one) in important career-affecting decisions.

Although you see manifestation of this personality disorder on your own skin, precise diagnostics is pretty difficult and you need to do your own leg work and collect evidence to understand what makes particular psychopath tick what are his favorite tactics.

You probably are better off consulting specialist and asking for a competent advice. At least you can enroll in community college and take course in criminal psychology: criminals and corporate psychopaths are just two sides of the same coin. Both this this page and relevant  books should all be taken with a grain of salt.  The author have spend more then seven years working as senior research associate in the psychology but like in programming that was  a different area and this experience  just ganatee the knowledge of jargon and certain enough of classic book read and courses taken and paper written, but does not guarantee talent or insight needed for this area.

Also few people have skills of  clinical psychologists to correctly identify often complex blend of features in toxic manager. But you should try you best. Mistakes are unavoidable though. For example sometimes it was clear from the beginning that the manager is a bully, but more precise analysis of behavior can suggest that you are dealing with paranoid incompetent micromanager (PIMM) and the most prominent feature is not open aggression (bulling) but deep paranoia and obsessive control.  Documenting the psychopath behavior helps as analyzing historic behavior you start to see patterns in attacks, outbursts and intimidation tactics used.  Proper methods are well described in literature for psychological research. Limited amount of materials related to PIMM can be found at Documenting Micromanager Behavior page on this site. All you can while staying is learn to cope. That’s why you should stay only as long as absolutely necessary. Remember you can’t change this type of individual. Among possible defense moves we can mention to stick to your agenda, documenting every step and pointing abrupt changes of direction as well as providing feedback about projects you involved with.. Try to avoid getting sucked into his or her unreasonable demands. You don’t want to end up being emotionally blackmailed.

No matter what is precise classification all toxic managers are cruel with subordinates and created out of the work environment “living hell”.  Incompetent, dishonest but scheming they charm the higher ups and climb on the back of others to achieve power. But it is important to understand that toxic managers would never achieves their goals and climb up the ladder without the disorganization and willful ignorance of his supervisors typical for some large corporations (Enron is a typical example here).  Fish rots from the head.

As insightful page The toxic manager in the office a guide to toxic managers and toxic management in a toxic work environment states “We’ve all encountered them. Moody, aggressive, unpredictable, incompetent, always blaming other people. A compulsive liar with a Jekyll and Hyde nature, the individual, male or female, is always charming and plausible when management are around.”  Unpredictable outbursts of hostility, conflicting demands, inconsistent orders, random decision-making, inability to plan strategically, inability and unwillingness to communicate and co-operate, obstructive … the list goes on.

Psychopathic managers prevent subordinates doing their jobs and prevent employees fulfilling their duties. Most employees in IT are competent and have both the desire and ability to do good work. What is missing in some organizations  is an environment that encourages and enables the expression of that competence. In his book, Hall (1988a) states,

If we are to achieve excellence in our organizations and communities, we must be willing to reorient
We must make a presumption of competence in  the workplace rather than incompetence, for high-level  performance rests on the simple, yet not widely  accepted, premise that people will behave competently  if we will but let them. (pp. 29-30)

After some conversations with corporate psychopath you feel like you left the ring after facing opponent twice heavier then you and not playing by the rules. Everything will be your fault. You have a “negative attitude”, you’re a “poor performer”, you’re “not up to the job”, and so on. If you get as far as alerting personnel or human resources management, it’ll be a “personality clash”. In truth, this is a projection of the psychopaths own negative attitude, poor performance, and incompetence.

The problem is that “toxic managers” are really toxic: they instantly destroy trust and tend to infect their departments with bad attitudes. It’s really like a disease: they spread despair, anger and depression, which show up in lackluster work, absenteeism and turnover. They are also a major course of workplace burnout: toxic burnout.  Coping with a toxic boss  can take a severe toll on your life. It is like living with an abusive parent or husband; there are periods of calm where they are happy and not picking on you, but you always know that at some point it will start again.

The price of putting up with it is high. Researchers in Finland found that workers who felt they were being treated fairly on the job had a lower incidence of coronary heart disease, the leading cause of death in Western societies. [ABC, Oct. 26, 2005]. Often there is little you can do except to keep your head down and stay away from that manager as much as possible.

The best is to understand your tradeoffs and work not so much for the company as for improving your marketability for the next job.  Forget about loyalty in such situation: set strict limits for yourself and stick to them. Stop working overtime, don’t take on extra tasks, never work through lunch. Have outside confidant: a person outside the company to listen to you, support you and, ultimately, to help you get out. The fact that they severely cripple the organization to which they belong is well known fact and does not require additional commentary.

Toxic behavior of superiors create level of anger when revenge became to sweet and pain that strips people of their self esteem and that disconnects them from their work too severe. Never go this road. Still for some people urge of revenge proves irresistible. That’s why toxic managers are probably the leading causes of sabotage in modern organization (competing with outsourcing/Offshoring).  “Fish stinks from the head!” and the higher toxic managers is, the more widespread is the damage he/she causes. Often large badly managed companies and government agencies attract such managers  as due to their incompetence they simply would not survive out in the startup business community. 
I would like to stress that psychopaths completely lack empathy for other people. That means that their are oblivious to sufferings they courses. Absolutely oblivious.  They tend to be rigid and inflexible, have hidden agendas, and have an unusually hard time recognizing or respecting boundaries. They’re weighed down by irrational beliefs such as “To be criticized means I’m a failure” or “If I follow orders, I’m weak”. Disturbingly, individuals with personality disorders not only tend to dismiss the idea that they have a problem, but often see their unpleasant traits as strengths and take pride in them. For this reason, many such individuals respond poorly to therapy — if they agree to seek treatment at all.

For example, do you have a manager who focuses so single-mindedly on rules, regulations, and productivity to the extent that actual real work grinds to a halt? Is she unsatisfied with any solution you proposed, work compulsively till all hours, avoid making decisions, and insist that her way of doing things is the only way? If so, your boss may be suffering from obsessive-compulsive personality disorder. This is not the same as obsessive-compulsive illness — you’re not likely to see her obsessively washing her hands. The best defense strategy: find a transfer or a new job. If you need to stay avoid arguments, keep a low profile, and steer clear of conflicts that you’ll never win.

You also can shield yourself from your boss’s unreasonable demands, the authors say, by finding out exactly what he expects from you and wants you to do. They suggest asking him what the most important project is (you may be surprised), and request guidance with detailed questions such as “Would it be all right for me to write out some ideas for you to review? Then you can let me know which ones to pursue further.” Emphasize that there are only so many hours in a day, so he stops expecting superhuman achievements. And don’t take personally your boss’s lack of praise for a job well done: The problem is with him, not you.

Keep up your guard. Nitpicking may not only drive you crazy but could be harmful to your caeer as it expose to the treat of being fired for unsubordination.  To neutralize that threat, the authors advise that you set boundaries, making clear when it’s inappropriate for to intrude on your work. You also may need to remind your boss of your accomplishments if you find an obsessive-compulsive boss is undercutting your work. You may want to divide up your work,  so your obsessive-compulsive boss can obsess freely over their parts of the job and leave you free to concentrate on the tasks at hand.

These white-collar psychopaths or sociopaths are “individuals who most often do not act out in a criminal way, yet can be just as manipulative and cunning” as a serial killer. Their personality attributes “typically include superficial charm, unreliability, untruthfulness, and insincerity, [a] lack of guilt, remorse, or shame, [and] a need to engage in thrill-seeking behavior,” as well as pathological lying, egocentricity, selfishness, and rejection of authority and discipline, according to the authors. In short, they are corporate con artists. They’re the tech administrators who over-order company laptops and hawk them on eBay, or employees who sabotage bosses’ and coworkers’ careers by appropriating their ideas and denigrating their performance to supervisors. They’re the outgoing employees who act friendly to their colleagues only to stab them in the back at every opportunity. Middle management may be the natural habitat of the white-collar psychopath: Sub criminal psychopaths are known for their extroversion, their charm, and their polished social skills, and it’s not unusual for these traits to be rewarded within many organizations.

If you think you work for one of these individuals, the authors say, don’t be fooled by “props” like the ready smile and good eye contact. Instead, watch your back. The authors advise setting firm ground rules and picking your battles very carefully. Better yet, seriously consider switching jobs. Lock your desk, secure your computer password, keep your personal life private, and notify your coworkers and supervisors of any inappropriate behavior on the part of this colleague. As the authors caution, “Anything you say can and will be used against you.” Keep notes of any indiscretions  and don’t blame yourself or feel responsible for the sociopath behavior, the authors say. This is certainly handy advice for anyone who is in danger of being victimized by a white-collar con artist.

Corporate America is a veritable hive of white-collar crazies. Identifying, defining, and diagnosing exact personality disorders your boss suffers from can be a tricky business. Still one sign is universal: the workplace in such cases quickly becomes overflowing with tension. Avoid taking the toxic bosses actions personally and remind yourself that you are not stuck in a hostile work environment. Take actions for self-protection and establish personal boundaries rather than to change the other person.

Remember that all of them are “Mayberry Machiavelli” and are ready to stub you in the back.

http://www.softpanorama.org

Start your campaign by understanding that your boss may not know he is bad. Just as in situational leadership, the definition of “bad” depends on the employee’s needs, the manager’s skills and the circumstances. A hands-off manager may not realize that his failure to provide any direction or feedback makes him a bad boss. He may think he’s empowering his staff. A manager who provides too much direction and micromanages may feel insecure and uncertain about his own job. He may not realize his direction is insulting to a competent, secure, self-directed staff member.

Or, maybe the boss lacks training and is so overwhelmed with his job requirements that he can’t provide support for you. Perhaps he has been promoted too quickly or his reporting responsibilities have expanded beyond his reach. In these days of downsizing, responsibilities are often shared by fewer staff members than ever before. This bad boss may not share your values. The newer generation of workers expect that they can use their vacation time and take action to make work-life balance a priority. Not all bosses share these views. If your values are out of sync with those of your boss, you do have a problem.

Recommended Approach to the Unwitting Bad Boss: Talk to this boss. Tell him what you need from him in term of direction, feedback and support. Be polite and focus on your needs. Telling the boss he’s a bad boss is counterproductive and won’t help you meet your goals. Ask the manager how you can help him reach his goals. Make sure you listen well and provide the needed assistance. Seek a mentor from among other managers or more skilled peers, with the full knowledge of your current manager, to enlarge your opportunity for experience.

If you’ve taken these actions, and they haven’t worked, go to your boss’s manager and ask for assistance. Or, you can go to your Human Resources staff first, to rehearse and gain advice. Understand that your current boss may never forgive you, so ensure you have done what you can do with him, before taking your issues up the line. You may never hear what the boss’s boss or the HR staff did to help solve your bad manager’s behavior. It’s confidential. But, do allow some time to pass for the actions to have their desired impact. If nothing changes, despite your best efforts, and you think the problem is that they don’t believe you, draw together coworkers who also experience the behavior. Visit the boss’s manager to help him see the size and impact of the behavior.

If you think the problem is that your boss can’t – or won’t – change, ask for a transfer to another department. This recommendation presumes you like your employer and your work.  If a transfer or promotion is unavailable, begin your search for a new job. Fleeing is always an option. You may want to conduct your job search secretly, but under the circumstances, it may be time for you to go.

Fleeing the Bad Boss Is a Viable Option

When the Bad Boss Knows: Working with a manager at a client company, we discussed his approach to employees. He looked down his nose at them. He criticized and screamed at employees. He publicly humiliated any employee who made a mistake. One day he called me to ask a question. I thought, “Great. Break through.” I was doomed to disappointment when he said, “I know that you don’t approve of me screaming at staff as a regular thing.” I agreed. “So, can you tell me, please, what are the circumstances under which it is okay to scream at them?”

This manager thought his behavior was perfectly acceptable. (The end of the story? He never did change and was eventually removed as manager.) Most managers that bully, intimidate, cruelly criticize, name call and treat you as if you are stupid likely know what they are doing. They may know they’re bad and even revel in their badness.

They may feel their behavior has been condoned – and even encouraged – within your organization. They may have learned the behaviors from their former supervisor who was viewed as successful. You don’t have to put up with demeaning behavior. You deserve a good boss who helps your self-confidence and self-esteem grow. You deserve a good boss who helps you advance your career. You deserve civil, professional treatment at work.

Recommended Approach to the Bad Boss Who Knows: Start by recognizing that you have the right to a professional environment in your workplace. You are not the problem. You have a bad boss. He is the problem. You can try talking with the bad boss to tell him the impact that his actions or words are having on you or your performance. In a rare blue moon, the bad boss might care enough to work to modify his behavior. If he does decide to work on his behavior, hold him to his commitments. If you allow him to yell at you, even just a little bit, you are training him that he can get away with his former behavior. Don’t go to war publicly, but draw his behavior to his attention as soon as you have the opportunity, privately.

If the behavior does not change, appeal to his supervisor and to Human Resources staff. Describe exactly what he does and the impact the behavior is having on you and your job performance. You may never hear what the boss’s boss or the HR staff did to help solve your bad manager’s behavior. It’s confidential. But, do allow some time to pass for the actions to have their desired impact. If nothing changes, despite your best efforts, and you think the problem is that they don’t believe you, draw together coworkers who also experience the behavior. Visit the boss’s manager to help him see the size and impact of the behavior.

If you think the problem is that your boss can’t – or won’t – change, ask for a transfer to another department. This recommendation presumes you like your employer and your work. If a transfer or promotion is unavailable, begin your search for a new job. Fleeing is always an option. You may want to conduct your job search secretly, but under the circumstances, it may be time for you to go.
Moving On – Leaving the Bad Boss

Susan M. Heathfield,

http://humanresources.about.com

This argues for a closer look at your relationship with your boss. And to make matters worse, I’m going to give you a bad boss to contend with. So the overall question is: How should you be dealing with a bad boss? To make the question a bit more focused, let’s talk about six different kinds of bad bosses, ones that (1) don’t listen, (2) are highly authoritarian, (3) don’t make decisions, (4) tend to micromanage, (5) cycle the doghouse, and (6) take all the credit.

1. Your boss doesn’t and won’t listen. Not listening shows a distinct lack of respect for other people. It may also display a very bad habit, rooted in the idea that verbal communication is not to be taken all that seriously.

Two countermeasures suggest themselves, to be used one at a time or in combination.

The first is to “gang up” on a boss who doesn’t listen by having several people make the same point at the same time, and as emphatically as possible. It’s almost impossible for a boss to take this lightly because the volume is high, as is the number of conveyors. The second approach is to shift to written communication. Many bosses will pay attention to something that’s on paper because it then becomes part of the official record.

2. Your boss is highly authoritarian. This management style is considered Neanderthal by today’s management theory and practice.

Maybe your best reaction is to find a couple of articles that describe alternative ways of behaving and pass them on to your boss. A couple of Dilbert cartoons might also help make the point, followed by a quiet conversation if asked to explain. But try to keep it light.

3. Your boss won’t make decisions. This is a difficult area because the reasons for failing to make decisions can be many and varied. It may be that you and your boss have completely different needs for closure so that you are simply out of step with each other. Therefore, you need to check out and confirm this failure to make decisions with your colleagues. If they agree, you might want to lead the charge with a private conversation citing chapter and verse decisions that were not made in a timely way. If your private talk doesn’t work, you could try bringing some co-workers into the fray.

4. Your boss tends to micromanage. This is a very typical complaint about bosses. It is also a difficult one for most people because the reactions to such behavior can turn to extreme anger very quickly. The anger needs to be contained, followed by an immediate response explaining that the boss is, in fact, micromanaging right now, that you consider this behavior highly counterproductive, and that it can only lead to bad consequences in terms of the work actually getting done. Your reaction needs to be immediate because many bosses tend not to see the ways they micromanage unless caught in the act.

5. Your boss cycles the doghouse. This basically means your boss has a doghouse and someone always is in it. When one person is let out, another is quickly ushered in and without any apparent delay. After a time, everyone has had a turn in the doghouse. That means everyone has had a chance to get angry with the boss for bad treatment and will be happy to put the boss into the workers’ doghouse. At a private lunch with your boss, you might try explaining the negative effects all of this is having on you and your colleagues. Here again, specific examples help, along with a nonthreatening attitude. If this relatively benign action fails, you might consider calling a lunch meeting of all the folks who have sojourned in the doghouse and focus upon some joint action, such as having the workers build a doghouse for the boss.

6. Your boss takes all the credit. This is a killer in terms of motivation and morale. In today’s world, just the opposite behavior is considered positive by management. So if your boss is distinctly unsupportive and pushes to the front of the line just about all the time, a team of folks should meet with the boss and insist that such behavior will not fly. This type of boss is a kind of bully, and a bully reacts only when confronted with significant force. Plan the confrontation carefully, as well as some “if-then” considerations. Most of the time, the recommended action with a bad boss is to take the boss to lunch and discuss the problem in a nonconfrontational way. There is no guarantee of success, however, and you need to be prepared for rapid escalation of the conflict by your boss.

Keep the discussion as rational and factual as possible. And remember, there are two additional actions you can take.

The first is to go over your boss’s head and ask for a transfer to another group. The second is to find another position in another company. It’s been done before and will likely continue to be done forever when dealing with a truly bad boss.

Have you failed when you have to go elsewhere to work? Often, it’s the company that has failed, not you.

Howard Eisner

You have come to terms with the fact that your boss will never be the leader he appeared to be during the interview. You reluctantly realize your boss prefers golf or shopping to mentoring you. She stole your ideas. He even assigned you a couple of high-profile controversial projects that went bad. Naturally when this happened he went missing. But will a book like Who’s Afraid of the Big Bad Boss?. (Compare prices. help you out? Wouldn’t it just be easier to anonymously slip her a copy of Super Skills for Supervisors?

Signs of a Bad Boss
How can you tell if your boss is “mean,” “dumb,” “toxic,” “out to get you,” or if he simply never had the advantage of Supervisory Skills 101? You know that promotion to supervisor is often a reward for a good worker. Remember that the “Peter Principle” suggests that people are often promoted to their level of incompetence. The Principle is still alive and well in corporate America. Here are a few clues that your boss could use some basic supervisory skills training.
He ignores the classic, time honored cliché, “Praise in public, criticize in private.”
She gives you assignments and doesn’t follow up.
He doesn’t support you when something goes wrong.
She thinks everything is fine when it isn’t.
He constantly claims that he is empowering you, but isn’t.
She micro-manages and needs to know everything.
He acts paranoid.
She jumps to conclusions.
He doesn’t know how to plan, prioritize or organize.
If it isn’t her idea, then it can’t be good.
He implements two-faced attacks.
She tells sarcastic jokes or teases.

How to Deal With Your Bad Boss
Now that you’ve come to the conclusion that your boss doesn’t lie awake at night thinking about how to torment you, is there anything you can do? One activity that may be a cathartic experience is to make a list of the supervisory skills you think he or she is missing. Next, rank the list from most annoying to least annoying. Pick the top two or three worst offenses. Recognize that these are your hot buttons and start developing a strategy. Don’t wait for these things to happen again without having a plan for your own actions. The worst thing you can do is – nothing, hoping the problems will resolve themselves.

Don’t sacrifice your health or self-esteem. Polite confrontation should always be your first move. However, a bad boss lacking supervisory skills may not recognize your attempt and this tactic may backfire. Limiting contact may help you personally but isn’t usually a good professional move. However, putting some distance between you and your supervisor might be a temporary solution.

Action Plan: Deal With a Bad Boss With Poor Supervisory Skills
Here are a few other suggestions for dealing with a bad boss with poor supervisory skills:
Find someone you can trust for a sanity check. It is probably better if this person does not work in the same environment as you.

Make a pact with yourself that you will use the time to adopt good supervisory skills yourself.
Remember that the best employees don’t always make the best supervisors.
Do not fret if you have experienced a total meltdown with this person; it is time to try a new strategy: forgiveness. Regain your strength and move forward with confidence and professionalism.
Start identifying other sources of positive reinforcement for doing your job to the best of your abilities. We all want approval and recognition for a job well done.

Read and learn from the experts. Just make sure you are reading the right material. If you have decided that your boss simply lacks supervisory skills, try Managing Up: How to Forge an Effective Relationship With Those Above You.

Terra Vanzant-Stern, PhD

Recommended Resources:
Stanley Bing, Crazy Bosses – Fully Revised and Updated. (Compare prices.) (Harper Collins), 2007.
Gini Graham Scott, A Survival Guide for Working With Bad Bosses: Dealing With Bullies, Idiots, Back-stabbers, and Other Managers from Hell. (Compare prices.) (AMACON), 2005.
Jean Lipman-Blumen, The Allure of Toxic Leaders: Why We Follow Destructive Bosses and Corrupt Politicians – and How We Can Survive Them. (Compare prices.) (Blumen), 2006.
Marilyn Haight, Who’s Afraid of the Big Bad Boss? 13 Types and How to Survive Them. (Compare prices.) (Infinity), 2005.
Frank Buchar, Super Skills for Supervisors: A Narrative Approach to Developing Supervisory Skills. (Compare prices.) (Buchar), 2005.
Roseanne Badowski and Roger Gittens, Managing Up: How to Forge an Effective Relationship With Those Above You. (Compare prices.) (Currency), 2003.

http://humanresources.about.com