Sometimes I think that working for myself contracting sucks, then I remember what it was like to be employed full-time and I remember that it sucked more. On top of sucking more I had a boss that I had to report to and there were more crappy ones than good ones.
… people become what you expect of them. If you treat your direct reports like children, that's how they will act. On the other hand, if you place lots of trust in them from day one, they will be compelled to prove that they deserve the trust
I really should make this postmanage required reading for anyone that wants me to work in their team. If you don't agree with most of it, we're not a good fit.
Have weekly status meetings even if there is nothing new to say, or if it can be said over email.
That was probably one of the most annoying things I ever dealt with. To top it off the boss only showed up to some of them and we'd sit around for the 30 minutes talking about whatever. They didn't even respect our time enough to call the meeting off a few hours early.
I'm sure we could compare stories but that's not the point. Make sure that when you manage people you're no a crappy boss.
manage: http://diegobasch.com/how-to-be-a-horrible-boss "How to be a Horrible Boss"
2 responses to “I’ve Had Crappy Managers”
What makes a good boss? Have you ever had a boss that makes you better? One that works with you for an hour every week to improve your strengths?
Yes I’ve had a good boss or two. One company I worked at in the paddling industry was truly concerned about me as a person. They were free with company resources (borrowing trucks for whatever reason). A result of the generosity and overall mood was that the few hundred hours of overtime I got each year, never felt like all that much extra work. I was happy to do it. I still help out when I go by the store, and I have not worked there it years.