The people who want power are the ones who shouldn't have it

[stava]

Originally Posted by andywire

That's your opinion. What if the company required a slave driver to turn a profit? Some workers really do suck. They require a good, swift kick in the rear to get any return on their time/wage/salary. Not saying I particularly favor the slave driver types, but I have worked for bosses that I wish would push some workers a bit harder. Seriously, I have seen some worthless workers that simply weren't worth a damn. For one reason or another, the company put up with it, even though they were losing money on that worker's time. Why was it tolerated? Because the supervisor wasn't confrontational and they didn't want to hurt feeling. Believe me, I have seen this attitude, and I have seen how it negatively effects the employing company.

I believe you, because I've seen that too. But in the case of the slave driver needing to whip lazy employees into shape, that still counts as standing for something. That supervisor is serving a purpose and is actually bettering those lazy employees. When I talk about power-hungry tyrants, I'm talking about bosses who demean subordinates for no other purpose but to make them feel small and powerless. It serves no purpose and there's no agenda behind it other than the aggrandizement of the boss's ego.

And that's no good.

[MountainGuy74]

One of my supervisors is a real PITA. He once tried to write me up for being one minute late to work even though my clock in my car and my watch both said I was actually 2 minutes early. Also tried to write me up for having a crooked name tag. He also tried to write up another officer for wearing white socks under her boots. Couldn't even see the socks unless she took her boots off but he tried to write her up anyway. None of these write ups ever even made it to the manager since he took one look at them and tossed them in the trash.

All of our other supervisors are professional, courteous and respectful. They come by and make sure all is well and that's it.No ball busting or anything like that. The other supervisors were once security officers and eventually got promoted so they know what it's like to be a regular officer. The PITA supervisor was an LAPD cadet that didn't quite make the cut to be a police officer and I can see why although he sure acts like LAPD.

Personally for me it's all about respect and some folks don't respect the power or authority they have been given.

[stava]

Originally Posted by MountainGuy74

Personally for me it's all about respect and some folks don't respect the power or authority they have been given.

I hear you. Some people don't respect it nor do they have any idea how to handle it.

I had a boss once who thought she was super hot sh*t. Not physically, but academically and intellectually. She was very young and landed a managerial role because of her credentials (good schools for both undergrad and grad). In meetings, she would roll her eyes when anyone else was talking. When someone would say, "So-and-so from XYZ department thinks this would be a good idea" she would mumble, "Who CARES!". She didn't listen and showed zero respect, yet expected all the respect in the world from everyone else because she was "the boss". It really, really went to her head.

She also had a lot of "magical thinking" going on, to where she was convinced that everyone just adored her and loved working with her because she was "the boss", yet she had not one friend in that company and no one liked to be around her. She even told me once, "You know, everybody likes me. I get along with EVERYONE". I was like, good for you?