Non-communicative Bosses (work, interest, money, hired)

[Perryview22]

Someone recently posted a topic about people who can get through an entire workday and not talk to anyone. Well, if communicating with others is an incidental rather than integral part of your position, maybe being quiet is not an issue. Actually, I prefer that some people would be quiet, or quieter.

However, bosses are a different story. I have worked for one too many bosses who do not communicate, who do not coordinate or facilitate, are not willing to use their authority, who allow dysfunction to fester. I have even worked for someone who was guilty of all these deficiencies and when this person would assert his/herself (don't want to make gender an issue) or go to the mat on something, it would be about something idiosyncratic and inconsequential while weightier issues would be ignored. And if authority was asserted, it would be a misappropriation of authority.

I have to ask - why do people like this want to be in charge? I'm beginning to wonder, is it just crazy people who want to be in charge of other people?

If anyone works for a sane boss, please give a testimonial..would love to hear about it - sincerely.

[joey2000]

Originally Posted by Perryview22

I have to ask - why do people like this want to be in charge?

Money and/or prestige, mostly. A few are into the power trip too. ie losers.

The majority of my bosses have been seriously ****-poor communicators. There are a lot of people who can manage a dept or a system etc...but precious few who can really manage people.

[ambarstone]

One of my former bosses was a serious non-communicator. He would simply not talk to me at all. He even forgot to give me my bonus letter once. Had no interest on my evaluation, and would not tell me when people would be hired or let go. He was a horrible boss. I don't understand how people without communication and human skills get to the point in which they can not only manage others but be rich and influential in a business.

[fleetiebelle]

My boss is terrible with communication. She thinks she tells me things that she doesn't (I write down everything so I have a record,) then of course at evaluation time I get criticized for not following directions. I had no idea that mind reading is included in "other duties as assigned".

[TKramar]

Originally Posted by Perryview22

Someone recently posted a topic about people who can get through an entire workday and not talk to anyone. Well, if communicating with others is an incidental rather than integral part of your position, maybe being quiet is not an issue. Actually, I prefer that some people would be quiet, or quieter.

However, bosses are a different story. I have worked for one too many bosses who do not communicate, who do not coordinate or facilitate, are not willing to use their authority, who allow dysfunction to fester. I have even worked for someone who was guilty of all these deficiencies and when this person would assert his/herself (don't want to make gender an issue) or go to the mat on something, it would be about something idiosyncratic and inconsequential while weightier issues would be ignored. And if authority was asserted, it would be a misappropriation of authority.

I have to ask - why do people like this want to be in charge? I'm beginning to wonder, is it just crazy people who want to be in charge of other people?

If anyone works for a sane boss, please give a testimonial..would love to hear about it - sincerely.

I personally have the feeling that they make some people bosses because it gives them the least opportunity to screw up. The people doing the work are the ones that know what they're doing.