Have you ever had a good "boss"?

[CHenry]

I know what you mean, I worked for a female that no one could do well in her sight. She neglected the people that made her look good, I couldn't reason with her and she eventually was fired. No one liked her and she was a she demon. She created a LOT of stress and I still carry some of that today after 25 years ago.

Yep I had PTSD for some time after also lol. Now I could care less as I retired so I never have to deal with her again. I had 5 bosses prior and they were all kool and I had worked with and around them a vary long time. As I got promoted, I'd have a new boss - one who knew me well and trusted my work without looking over my shoulder. Those 5 men were all very good to work under. This woman (and I'm not being sexist) was younger and I think maybe shoe had it out for me because I knew more than her but of course I never made that an issue to her, she just knew and didnt like it.

 

[Dorkus]

All of my career I had good bosses. Except for 1 and she was a nightmare. I hated going to work with her and then she got promoted to another division. I worked for her I think 2 years. 2 years of hell

I had a similar experience in my last job. My boss was a lesbian from California that HATED straight, Christian, white guys. She made my life miserable until she found another company dumb enough to take her. Gosh I really disliked her.

 

[Profreedomokie]

I put 40 years in at the refinery in Ponca. Over those years I had maybe 5 front line bosses that were good to work for. The craft supervisors were all worthless. I told the plant manager one day that nobody respected the craft bosses out there. Almost all of them got their job by sucking up, getting hurt, their daddy was a boss, or they were so lazy they got moved up out of the working people's way. He didn't disagree. Out there the ones that got the work done were overloaded. The ones that wouldn't work were not expected to do anything. If ass kissers had wings, that place would look like an airport.

 

[Chief Sapulpa]

...She made my life miserable until she found another company dumb enough to take her...

Anheuser-Busch?

 

[dennishoddy]

Some good, some bad. As others have said, the sick, lame, BIL, and lazy sometimes get the supervisor's position.
At one job, the supervisor had his suck-ups as lead people and they had their suck ups. I just want to do the job and go home, not be a suck-up.
It's a long story, but when asked by the Maintenance Manager to come out to the plant in the middle of the night, the production line was shut down by one 5 axis machining center that wouldn't change tools. The Lead man and his suck-up had been convinced that it was a software or circuit board issue, working on it for almost a week.
It took about 10 minutes to see the hydraulic cylinder that ran the tool changer had a broken coupler. Machined and welded a new temporary coupler and had the machining center back in service within an hour.
The next morning was gathering my tools when the lead man came up and was shocked it was running. Told him what I'd found and done. His comment was I was too stupid to fix it on my own and walked away. He had a direct link to my pay raises, so kept the mouth shut and moved on.
What I didn't know was that the machine operator overheard that comment.
About an hour later, the plant manager came out and asked me if I had been called stupid. Declined to answer and tried to deflect, but the PM said if I didn't tell me the truth right then, he would fire me on the spot. So, I said yes and he walked off.
An hour later the lead man was demoted and reprimanded. We had a very toxic relationship for many years after until he retired.
Probably 35 years later, I ran on to my old maintenance manager just a month ago. We had a good time talking about the old days.

 

[Ahall]

I have had good bosses that reported bad bosses

The good boss that comes to mind had left his previous job because the stress contributed to a massive heart attack, and he was nearing retirement age. After several months at the new company, he decided he needed to file for his head rights with the Osage Nation.

After learning about the additional income, free health care and other benefits on that trip his attitude changed.
Hawaiian shirts were the norm and we talked about putting a margarita machine in the break room. He really started taking good care of his people and standing up to the upper managements BS because he could walk out the door any time. He was also willing to take the time to work through a technical problem in a design and help troubleshoot systems. He was not afraid to admit he was as confused as we were. He was not the type to pretend he knew everything, and we were idiots for not knowing the answer.

The boss protecting us was a very was a good thing because the senior man was without question the worst manager I have ever encountered. Seriously, several of his direct reports quit with no job to go to. They just had to get away from him. When senior managers termination was announced it got a standing ovation, and maintenance changed the door locks after he was escorted from the building.



I had another boss at a place that was closing down. He was brough in as part of the shutdown team and took the job as a favor to the new ownership, hoping to get a company of his own to run in exchange. It was a large enough place that they had to give us 60 days notice of termination.

He gave me my notice, looked at the pictures of my family, and told me that my job assignment for the remainder of my time at work was to find a new job. He offered to review my resume, ignore absences if I was on interviews, and otherwise help me in any way he could. Can't ask for more than that.

 

[Dorkus]

After learning about the additional income, free health care and other benefits on that trip his attitude changed.

I had this same attitude when my final child just got out of college and was on his own. My "give a sh-t" factor for taking crap from others (specifically the lady I mentioned above and her minions) after he was out of the house was so low it couldn't even be recorded. I started sticking up for myself and my team which I am sure caused some bridges to be burned, but I didn't care. Knowing that I could live on a lot less sure made life more enjoyable.

It also allowed me to take risks with my career and leave a horrible job for a great one. The only good thing about having a bad boss is having the flexibility with your life to not take their garbage. I learned that when you push back, their attitude seems to get more in line. At least in my experience.

 

[Bravo1413]

I had a great boss for 30 years. Self employed, but my boss (wife) let me run it.

 

[red dirt shootist]

Here are the rules concerning jobs and bosses:
1- the boss is an azzhole
2- payday is on Friday
3- keep a positive attitude

 

[montesa]

I've had a few ok bosses. A few that were ridiculous and incompetent and even sabotaging. I prefer being self employed but just wasn't making the same money/benefits as I can working a job. Current boss seems like he might be normal, reasonable good person. Time will tell.