Do you work for a jerk or a decent manager? What type of manager do you work for? How can you manage your manager?

This blog will be off the book, “Managing Your Manager,” by Gonzague Dufour. Is your boss a go-to person? Can you talk to your manager? This book and blog will show how to get ahead with any type of boss. There are managers of all types that can provide invaluable learning experiences that can enhance your career. Managing your manager empowers you with the knowledge, skills, and savvy for dealing with any type of boss and excelling in your job.

This is a time of tremendous stress in most workplaces. Organizations are pressuring managers to deliver better results with fewer people; they’re asking them to work in new, flattened structures; they’re insisting on diversity initiatives; they’re rotating people in and out of groups frequently; and they’re introducing new technologies that take some getting used to.

The best of environments, bosses can be challenging to deal with. In the worst of environments, they can be more than challenging-frustrating, perplexing, aggravating, and impossible.

Most bosses today work in highly stressful environments. Is there a lot of stress where you worked?

In this blog, I will give you details of some types of managers. Then you can see where your boss lies. Some people deal with a difficult boss by gritting their teeth and toughing it out. They are unhappy in the relationship, not learning much and not doing their best work, but they hang in there for a variety of reasons- their boss will retire or get another job soon. This is one of reasons for a high turnover in employment. If the manager is a jerk, they cannot keep the help; no matter what the pay or benefits may be. Yet these managers cannot see that they are the problems. They think that it’s the workers fault. Even the human resources office cannot see the problems. I remembered working at Kmart, and we had to do a survey reviewing our manager. When it got back to him, he called a morning meeting, chewing us out. He couldn’t understand why he got such a poor reviews from the employees.

Let’s take a look at different type of managers.

The first one is the BULLY. The word bully connotes a number of negative traits, but like all boss archetypes, this one is a mixture of positives and negatives-you don’t get one without the other. These managers have unexpected bursts of anger, and their volatility contributes to their intimidating presence. They are constantly angry all the time. The employees are walking on eggshells when they are there in the office. I know a manager like that. The joke going around when he was around was don’t disturb “Sleeping Beauty!” If another department deliver a better result, they can be intensely competitive, and may erupted. At times, the Bully micromanaged when he should have supervised. This manager would sit on his ass in his office rather than get out and worked with the employees. His office door is closed and locked if he’s not there. Those who do get along with the Bully tended to be either jaded or highly ambitious. They can lose their tempers and be intimidating at times. Does your manager evokes fear, respect, and fascination? The Bully can be a challenging manager to manage. They are impossible to work for.

The GOOD! They are considerate, reasonable, logical and knowledgeable. They inspire leadership. They are not a 24/7 manager. They separate their work from their private life. They are decent and competent. They are not afraid to get their hands dirty and dig right into the job.

The KALEIDOSCOPE are difficult to grasp. Working for them can be a challenge because you feel like you’re working for 5 different bosses. Don’t try to play with this type of boss! Don’t believe everything he tells you!

The STAR is dynamic and dramatic. They can also be difficult but never boring. They have no problem challenging the status quo and they can shake things up a little. They hate anything that would cause delays, such as: meetings, bureaucracy/red tape, a series of presentations, slow software, discussion that circle endlessly around a point, indecisive managers, and paperwork.

Imagine working with people like Ralph Nader, Jesse Jackson, Donald Trump, Elon Musk or any other Charismatic leader. You better enjoy the ride, try to steer rather than control, and be precise. Don’t be disloyal, don’t be a naysayer, don’t talk back. Be a good little soldier!

The SCIENTIST relies on theories. They talks a good game. They make a great show of listening but don’t really hear anything you say. They are easily distracted and may allow meetings to drag on or go off on tangents. A pastor is a prime example of this. Don’t be overly emotional, don’t be afraid to ask for more precise direction, don’t assume his support is unconditional and unlimited.

The NAVEL challenge your own values. They tends to runs a business and/or family like a military, my step-dad for instance. They tend to be ruthlessness: they are not averse in throwing people under the bus. They are highly decisive without second guessing themselves. They have a hard time in admitting they are wrong. They are more a doers than a thinkers. They have the self-confidence and the desire to be in the spotlight, and can be an excellent salesperson.

Which of these type of managers do you worked for?

Now days people doesn’t stick with a job very long, especially the younger generation. They have a tendency to jump quickly for any reasons. My generations or older will stick with a job no matter how bad the atmosphere may be. That is the way I was raised.

When I finally left Kmart, I had a better job offer at the right time. I saw the writing on the wall of Kmart closing up shop. Now I got a good paying job with benefits, like health insurance and retirement. Even though, we had a horrible boss, I stuck with it because of the benefits and being so closed to retirement. I do encourage someone younger to do so if they’re not happy; because they got plenty of time.

We have a better manager and supervisor now than what we had. We are not walking on eggshells like we used too. You can talked with your manager and supervisor now. I had some good manager and some horrible manager.

I mentioned before in another blog, the executive chef at the Fargo Country Club treated the workers good and worked with them. He was one of the good one. It was hard to leave but you knew you had to for a better paying job with benefits.

I also enjoyed working at the Fargo Dome. When the time comes for me to retire, I would still work there part time to keep busy and make a little extra spending money. There’s less stress.