Bad bosses stifle business growth

Do you have a bad boss? A boss who does not, respect basic discipline, embrace policies of the organisation, is emotionally driven and makes biased decisions, cannot not lead by example.

Bosses and supervisors aren't from another planet, but sometimes they seem to be. Conflict between a difficult boss and a worker can be daunting and intimidating.

Typically, when we discuss performance management we tend to look at levels below us not at the levels above us. But we all know why it's important for bosses to mirror the behaviour they want in their employees.

If you have a bad boss and he or she is an impediment to creating the right culture, maybe it's time for you to get rid of him so that business may grow. This is real in modern organisational cultures.

Whether you can successfully fire your boss depends on who and what your organisation values and why. It depends on the cultural values your organisation has developed for employees.

Additional variables include what you and the boss bring to the table. Right or wrong, he or she, is after all, the boss for several reasons, and is probably in a stronger position than you are. So the attempt has to be well thought out.

Expose leaders' behaviour

The best way, if you can set it up, is for senior management to see him in action. They've always treated you with respect and you don't believe that they'd put up with his daily behaviour, if they could just see it.

So, the best way is to set up a situation in which the boss will exhibit the worst of his behaviour in front of his superiors. It's not as if his boss has not heard rumours before about his behavior, but he may have been unaware of how bad the behaviour really was.

In an organisation, it is essential to have the boss act out his worst behaviours in front of superiors. Seek HR assistance to advise you on how to address the situation. Your company may have a formal complaint process. HR staff may know this bad boss and recommend ways to respond to him effectively.

This may elicit some 'manager coaching' by the HR staff. But, if your name is connected to it, a bad boss will retaliate. You can count on it. Preparation is key if you attempt to have a bad boss fired.

Organisations today are process and policy driven. Every business activity has a standard to follow. These processes and standards are enforced throughout the organisation and if you see someone flouting them no matter if he or she is a manager or a subordinate, deal with them regardless of who they are.

However, do not be too rigid and if things don't work, find out the reasons for its failure. If the reasons are external and not due to the manager's fault then leave it without getting into troubled waters.

Despite these measures if difficult managers do not fall in line, you need to take a sterner approach. Let them know that they could look at opportunities outside the organisation since they obviously feel out of place within it.

Most people will soon realise that you mean business, take the hint and move out. If they persist in their behaviour and continue to remain within the organisation, see what disciplinary action you can take against them. Sometimes, it is in your best interest and theirs to let them go.

Professional approach

Keep your professional face on. Know the difference between not liking your boss and not being professional. You don't have to make your boss your friend or even like your boss as a person, but you do have to remain professional and get the job done and carry out their instructions dutifully as a subordinate, just as you would expect them to be professional in their duties as a supervisor.

Evaluate your own performance. Before you go attacking your boss, examine your own performance and ask yourself if you are doing everything right.

Get opinions from other co-workers about your performance and see if there is any warrant to the criticisms of your supervisor before you criticise their opinions.

You really need your 'ducks in a row' to get a bad boss fired. Documentation of incidences, statements from witnesses and list of bad behaviour with recorded evidence are critical.

So, think over your chances of succeeding. Your best route may be to secretly job search, so you can quit on your schedule and on your terms, rather than battling a hopeless situation.