In this article from CNBC Tom Gimbel references 7 types of bosses and really only one that is the ideal boss. We have summarized the key points of the article but encourage you to read the entire article.
Gimbel, the CEO of Chicago-based employment agency LaSalle Network, says the type of boss you have — or are — can have a huge impact on you or your employees’ career success: Good bosses can help employees grow and be happy at work, while bad bosses can make the day-to-day experience a nightmare.
Meta “There’s an expression: ’People join companies, but they quit bosses,” Gimbel tells CNBC Make It. “That isn’t too far removed from the truth.”
Knowing the early signs can keep you from getting into trouble in the first place.
Here are Gimbel’s seven types of bosses, from most to least common:
- Grinder boss
- Motivator boss
- Ghost boss
- Narcissist boss
- Want-to-be-your-BFF boss
- Accountable but caring boss
- Volcano boss
- Grinder boss
- Good: A grinder boss constantly works hard, which can be a positive.
- Bad: But they can make you feel like you must perform at their level and pace, or else “you’re a subpar performer,”
- Motivator boss
- Good: A motivator boss encourages you when you’re struggling, pats you on the back when you accomplish something and always offers you support when you need it. They’re also optimistic and always want you to “look on the bright side,” he adds. Gimbel says.
- Bad: Motivator bosses can sometimes make it hard to acknowledge problems or bad news, because of how positive they are.
- Ghost boss
- Good: Nothing
- Bad: A ghost boss leads very poorly because they’re just never around, Gimbel says. Usually, they’re not up to date with their team’s work and aren’t available when their employees need them. A ghost boss can also harm their employees’ career growth because they fail to be a mentor who they can learn and seek help from, Gimbel adds.
- Narcissist boss
- Good: Nothing
- Bad: A narcissist boss only really worries about themselves and how they feel, according to Gimbel. They base their actions on what will benefit them the most, making the needs of their larger team an afterthought. They love making everything about them, Gimbel adds: They enjoy flattery and will take credit for good ideas or other measures of success.
- Want-to-be-your-BFF boss
- Good: A “want-to-be-your-BFF” boss values being liked by others.
- Bad: Gimbel says those bosses prioritize making friends over properly leading and keeping a team accountable.
- Accountable but caring boss
- Good: The best bosses balance being accountable and caring, Gimbel says: They give you honest feedback about your work, whether it’s good or bad, and challenge you to perform to the best of your ability. They also genuinely care about their employees as human beings, he adds. That could involve understanding when an employee is having a rough day or dealing with a personal issue and trying to accommodate as best as they can.
- Bad: Finding or becoming that type of boss is difficult because very few people perfectly fit every part of this definition, Gimbel says — but a boss who at least tries to emulate those qualities is what you should look for or strive to become.
- Volcano boss
- Good: Nothing
- Bad: A volcano boss is similar to a ghost boss because “they aren’t really into the work you’re doing” and fail to guide or advise you along the way, according to Gimbel. The difference: They “erupt, just blow up” on employees when they’re not satisfied with a task or assignment, Gimbel says. Those bosses don’t realize that it’s largely their fault when a finished assignment is far from what they want.
James P. Randisi, President of Randisi & Associates, Inc., has since 1999 been helping employers protect their clients, workforce and reputation through implementation of employment screening and drug testing programs. This post does not constitute legal advice. Randisi & Associates, Inc. is not a law firm. Always contact competent employment legal counsel. To learn more about marijuana in the workplace, Mr. Randisi can be contacted by phone at 410.494.0232 or Email: info@randisiandassociates.com or the website at randisiandassociates.com
