Recently some good friends and I were enjoying a great bottle of wine over dinner when an interesting discussion arose. “Is your boss ruining your career?” We all unanimously agreed that we had either been in the situation before or were currently in one.

Each of us sitting at the table that night is tenured in our professions, take great pride in the career paths we have chosen and applaud the hard work it took to get here. Needless to say, we’re not “fresh” out of college, if you get my drift! We pondered the question at length as to how AND why some folks make it into “management” when clearly their lack of skills in managing others was completely off the mark. And to make matters worse, most of us know our jobs better than our bosses do! I think we all can agree that a bad boss is the most common reason employees quit their jobs.

A survey of workers by the Workplace Bullying Institute, a nonprofit group that does research and training on the subject, conducted last year, found that 27.5% of respondents reported that ill treatment by superiors got worse after the start of the financial crisis. Why? Simply put, people needed their jobs. Therefore, they were putting up with verbal and ‘superiority’ abuse when in better times they would have walked. Studies show a bad boss can ruin your entire experience at a company.

So, can it be proven just how much a bad boss can affect a working environment and ruin a career? A study from Florida State University has attempted to quantify exactly that.

According to this study 40 per cent of workers in the business world think they work for bad bosses. As for what constitutes a bad boss, they gave a variety of answers from being micromanaged, failing to receive credit where credit was due, to being blamed for mistakes that their bosses themselves made. So what does all this mean? It means that companies lose qualified employees due to incompetent, bad management. In short, it means that bad managers cost corporations money!

At the same time, other studies have indicated that bosses who try to create a positive work environment have better performers. In addition, these employees are more than willing to work extra hours or go the extra mile for these supervisors. Read the full article in Management Issues - Some Bad Boss Statistics -

As long as people have the autonomy and the opportunity to do what they do best every day, they’re significantly more likely to be engaged in their jobs and satisfied in their lives overall, thus saving their company money and you being able to go off your blood pressure medication!

In a nutshell, employees stuck it out during the downturn in the economy because there was no better alternative. In today’s environment, it takes very little for someone to take a leap of faith and move on. The jobs are out there. The question to you: Is your boss ruining your career? If the answer is yes and you truly believe you have done all you can to rectify the situation, then it is time to Dump the Chump and move on. There are many excellent organizations that value good talent and welcome the opportunity to listen and appreciate what you can bring to the table. So what are you waiting for? Get out there, grow your career and get happy!

Have you ever taken the time to consider that maybe … just maybe … YOU are a bad boss?

Then follow these five tips from industry leaders to become a model manager:

1. Listen to staff. “Good bosses know that everyone, from the office junior to a senior manager, has something to teach you about your company,” says Lees.
2. “Delegate efficiently by clearly stating what you want and when, and then trust your staff to follow through,” advises Sutton. Micro-managing undermines staff.
3. Be decisive and consistent, says Lees. “A lack of clear direction and goals leads to a confused and frustrated workforce.”
4. Show your appreciation, advises Sutton. When staff feel supported, they’re more likely to be confident and loyal.
5. Play to your team’s strengths and weaknesses. “For example, don’t give a detailed task to a chaotic creative,” says career coach Sherridan Hughes.
6. Katrina Machado, Executive Recruiter

JP Bryan Group

www.jpbryangroup.com