A new poll released by the Employment Law Alliance last week found that 45 percent of American workers say that they've worked in an abusive workplace. And surprise, surprise, most of the complaints are about bosses and managers.
Bob Sutton, author of "The No Asshole Rule," says that companies that allow mean-spirited bosses to infiltrate their ranks run the risk of being sued by its victimized employees.
But sometimes tyrants are promoted to managers because they've performed exceptionally well at their jobs. You can find talented people throughout many industries with less than perfect people skills. Look at Steve Jobs and Barry Diller.
Here's Lisa Takeuchi Cullen from Time Magazine's thoughts on cruel managers:
"Sure, beastly bosses have shaved months off my life. But they have also been some of the most gifted people I've known. This correlation occurs with reason: talented people can get away with much worse behavior. I don't want to enable monsters. In fact, I don't want to interact with them. But neither do I want to work in an office staffed solely with smiley faces."
So what can you learn from brutish but gifted bosses? Well, you can emulate the traits that have made that manager successful. But steer clear mimicking their off-putting personality in hopes it might separate you from the pack. No matter how talented you are, no one likes working with a tyrant.
Bob Sutton, author of "The No Asshole Rule," says that companies that allow mean-spirited bosses to infiltrate their ranks run the risk of being sued by its victimized employees.
But sometimes tyrants are promoted to managers because they've performed exceptionally well at their jobs. You can find talented people throughout many industries with less than perfect people skills. Look at Steve Jobs and Barry Diller.
Here's Lisa Takeuchi Cullen from Time Magazine's thoughts on cruel managers:
"Sure, beastly bosses have shaved months off my life. But they have also been some of the most gifted people I've known. This correlation occurs with reason: talented people can get away with much worse behavior. I don't want to enable monsters. In fact, I don't want to interact with them. But neither do I want to work in an office staffed solely with smiley faces."
So what can you learn from brutish but gifted bosses? Well, you can emulate the traits that have made that manager successful. But steer clear mimicking their off-putting personality in hopes it might separate you from the pack. No matter how talented you are, no one likes working with a tyrant.