Thrive with an Incompetent Boss
People feel like giving up when leaders cheer incompetent bosses.
Higher ups love great results. Unethical leaders support lousy managers if trouble isn’t too loud and costs aren’t too high. How can you thrive when your boss is a jerk-hole?
Thrive with an incompetent boss:
#1. Be a duck, not a goose.
Lousy bosses treat everyone badly. It’s not personal. Don’t honk about their offenses all day. Let it roll off your back. Whining pollutes your soul.
Learn to thrive when it rains. Skillful people flourish in difficult situations.
You can’t change people. You can grow yourself.
“When we are no longer able to change a situation, we are challenged to change ourselves.” Viktor Frankl
#2. Be a fox, not a sheep.
Learn, don’t follow.
Learn how to deliver great results from an incompetent boss. Ignore weakness, focus on strengths.
What is your boss doing to deliver great results? Emulate some of those behaviors, even if they might feel awkward at first. Don’t adopt destructive habits like intimidating people.
The behavior you haven’t tried is the one that will lift you to the next level.
#3. Be a donkey, not a parrot.
Learn what you don’t want to do. Make a list of behaviors you stubbornly refuse to emulate. Jerk-holes don’t have emotional intelligence.
Refuse to:
- Intimidate.
- Micro-manage.
- Over-react.
- Be a know-it-all.
- ???
Tips for people with an incompetent boss:
- Be careful complaining to the people who hired your boss.
- Point out ethical violations.
- Consider looking for a new job.
- Never let a bad boss be the reason you sabotage your career.
- Focus on things you control. Learn to let go of things outside your control.
How can people thrive with an incompetent boss?
Still curious:
What to Do When You Hate Your Boss – HBR
