subject: Does Your Boss Make You Down? [print this page] Does Your Boss Make You Down? Does Your Boss Make You Down?
Well, you are not alone. In fact, poor supervision and management is perhaps humanity's greatest woe and is as ancient as the pyramids. It may not be of comfort, but it is worth noting that if your boss is doing a poor job of things, then your boss' boss probably is too.
The bottom line though is that a boss who mistreats you and adds unwanted and undeserved stress in your life is not just your problem. Poor supervision is just plain bad business, and companies around the world suffer because of it. It's a very simple equation actually: if you are spending unnecessary energy on your boss and the problems she is creating for you, you are spending less energy on your job. I think that makes sense, doesn't it?
It might help to consider what a supervisor's actual job is, or rather, what sort of tasks may or may not be assigned to any particular supervisor. First and foremost the supervisor is an organizer. Organizing work tasks, in case you haven't tried it, is a really difficult job. And if a supervisor is running around being nit-picky over trivial things out of a general frustration because she has not organized well and things are not going smoothly, then she is doing a bad job. In other words, it's probably not personal, except to her.
A second major problem with supervisors is politics. Often, when people move up a notch in the hierarchy, they become fearful and protective of their position. Trying to second-guess their own superiors, their management can become arbitrary, irrational, and confusing. People do not perform their jobs well in a climate of arbitrary expectations and intimidation.
Finally, remember that supervision is 'not' about power. Or at least it shouldn't be. It's not 'being in charge' and getting paid more. It's about creating an environment in which tasks can be accomplished smoothly and efficiently. It's about finesse, pride on one's work and excellence. And if the boss doesn't have it, at least you can.
