The lunatic boss

Ever worked for a lunatic? Not merely someone with a temper, but egomaniacal, unstable, who has all the power..

I have, and I daresay many of you have as well if you’ve worked long enough.

Many years ago I worked with an Austrian who’d lived in Hong Kong for many years. He’d just been hired as a regional MD, the same time I started with the company. His lunacy was raging paranoia, Teutonic disciplinary measures augmented with a manic-depressive personality. He ripped up the regional office staff–human carnage–a few left quickly, realising his vindictive character.

But most stayed (I was one of them) and put up with the insanity, hoping it would go away. But of course it didn’t. He hired his old cronies, did actually increase regional profit (through blood-letting), increased his power, and managed upward very smoothly with global HQ.

Whenever one of the overseas heavyweights came into town, everything was choreographed; whom they would meet–internally and externally–and what he wanted them to see–or not–all down to a tee, and he usually had them cloistered in day-long meetings. I recall a couple of the SVPs demanding time to walk around and speak with the staff. They did, and Lunatic Boss shadowed them to make sure nothing untoward was said..

It was almost like being in a prison and wanting to shout “Don’t you see how we’re being treated?” but not being able to do so. I’d never experienced anything like that before. But we were all free agents and could have left at any time. Eventually I resigned, and he made me work my three-month notice in its entirety, for no logical reason, gave me a ton of work to do, as if it mattered.

He stayed there for a handful more years, eventually imploded and left–and should have never had that job in the first place, obviously.

The lunatic boss will:

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Often be manic, likely to misstate what you have said, turn it around or deny it, adept at making you feel that any business slips or errors are all your fault, not theirs.

Mentally browbeat the staff, making you question your self-worth and taking away your ability to impact (lunatics cannot empower; they hold on to power for dear life).

Tease or mock you if threatened by your presence, intellect or ideas–and if it’s a good idea, will often steal it.

Never make you part of the inner sanctum if you cannot agree with their views. Loyalty counts for everything.

Only share ideas or information that benefits them, and less interested about the welfare of the organisation.

Seldom solicit your opinion, but rather try to catch you off-guard to maintain a power advantage–checking in at odd times of the day or week to see what you’re doing, and pick on minutiae to show their control.

Perhaps most important, you will never learn, nor get smarter or more confident with a lunatic boss. You will, however, spend your time anxiously, afraid of making a mistake, which forces people to cower, hardly a worthwhile endeavour.

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It’s all regressive and dictatorial behaviour. If any of the above are what you’re currently up against, get out and don’t look back. Make the move should you emphatically nod your head to two or more of the above bullet points. Life is far too short to be with a boss who diminishes you.

If you have a good lunatic story, by the way, please share it with me–I’ll compile them to see who gets top honours.