Product Description

Being saddled with a terrible supervisor can turn even the best job into a nightmare. Unfortunately, not every boss is the great symbol of managerial perfection one would hope for. In fact, more people than not consider themselves stuck with a "bad boss." But short of remaining miserable or quitting a job, what can be done about it? "A Survival Guide for Working with Bad Bosses" provides readers with savvy, practical advice for coping with managers and supervisors who are mean, incompetent, unethical, and worse. The book includes powerful strategies for not only working with -- but thriving under -- such bad boss types as: * The Great Betrayers -- how to defend yourself against a corporate backstabber * The Know-Nothing Bosses -- what to do when a boss is clueless * The Bad Communicators -- how to respond when a boss is consistently unclear Whether a boss is high-strung, incompetent, or a power-mad tyrant, this book has the solution.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #121206 in Books
• Published on: 2005-11-25
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 224 pages

Joyce Lain Kennedy, nationally syndicated columnist
"Packed with hands-on advice[...]to achieve professional success."

Review

"Joyce Lain Kennedy, nationally syndicated columnist: ""Packed with hands-on advice to keep frustrated employees from shrieking and running naked towards a cliff, and living to achieve professional success. Good tips!""

Houston Chronicle: ""Consider this to be the guide of all guides to dealing with bad bosses; it’s both an easy book to read, and one that is very thorough….If you are having trouble dealing with your boss, this book will be well worth its price in helping you find solutions."""

Review

" ""I wish I had A Survival Guide for Working with Bad Bosses ten years ago when I went through three bad bosses in a row, and thought I was the only one at fault! As a career and business coach, I will definitely recommend this book to my clients because it has no-nonsense, practical tips on what to do. It also helps new bosses avoid these pitfalls themselves. I love this book!""---Susan Urquhart-Brown, M. A.; author of The Accidental Entrepreneur; Principal of CareerSteps123 Coaching in Oakland, California

""For Gini's sake, I hope she hasn't personally had to deal with the entire array of ""bosses from hell"" she describes in her new book! Most employees, unfortunately, will be able to relate to at least one of the vignettes she's compiled. Blessedly, they will also find tried-and-true solutions to whichever situation they're currently facing. Thanks to Gini for telling it like it is!"" -- Shari Dunn, Managing Principal, CompAnalysis

""Gini Graham Scott has done it again! This is a terrific book with some great hands-on advice. As always, Gini combines practical sense and fun. Pick it up -- laugh and learn!"" -- Dale Marie Golden, Vice President, Private Banking, Wells Fargo Bank

""With examples from real work situations that resonate, Gini Graham Scott’s new book offers pragmatic ways to respond for anyone who has a difficult boss, and who wants to exert influence and a degree of control."" -- Claire Kinlaw, Ph.D.; Developmental Products, Inc.; project team development consultant

""Everyone should add this book to their HR library!"" -- Joe Haraburda, President, Chief Executive Officer, Oakland Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce"

Customer Reviews

An Adequate Starting Point
Reading A Survival Guide for Working with Bad Bosses: Dealing with Bullies, Idiots, Back-Stabbers, and Other Managers From Hell is yet another book in a "set" that I checked out from our local library which I am currently reading my way through (and actually my third by this author). My housemate was recently promoted to a general manager position at a national pizza chain and was supposed to receive on the job training...but typically, has received none. So, we thought it might be helpful to do some reading on the subject of leadership, management and supervision of employees. This book kind of comes at my goal from the back end...being more about what makes an individual a "bad boss." I feel that it is, generally speaking, a good idea to look at things from multiple perspectives, and this book does just that. Overall I would say A Survival Guide for Working with Bad Bosses covers the basics of what makes a boss "bad" and lays out some "real life" circumstances that give the reader a solid foundation on which to begin work on improving relations with any number of bad boss archetypes. That said, Graham Scott's book would probably be useless to anyone who had had adequate management experience (and/or had been in the work force for more than a couple of years) or for those who have already done extensive reading in this area. It's a great beginner book, and I would recommend it without reservation to young people just starting out in the work force or for first time managers to get an idea of what some common problems employees feel create a "bad" manager.

A Survival Guide for Working with Bad Bosses is divided into six sections and five of the six deal with various types over-arching character types (i.e. Not Fit for Command; That's Unfair; Power Players; etc) and each of these sections is further divided into a number of sub-types. The sixth section is a review of the information as well as being geared toward putting all the info together in an easily accessible format for later reference. Each of section begins with an introductory paragraph, an example (sometimes more than one), a short set of ideas for alternative solutions or perspectives on the problem at hand, a brief discussion of how the employee dealt with (or might have dealt with the situation) and then some "take-always" for the reader to consider. The author stresses moderation in approach and response to any type of "bad" manager. Additionally, she urges that one take into consideration all possible causes and solutions before any action should be taken. I think this is a great resource, though it might have been nice for the author to acknowledge that her moderate and positive approach to these issues and problems does not always work...and she offers no progression or escalation of steps beyond the very basics...so if you have one of the problems she's describing and the solution given doesn't work, the author really hasn't helped delineate what the progression from there might or should be.

The writing here is simple, concise and accessible and the author makes her point very well (with the exception of escalation of problems beyond the scope given). We both enjoyed reading this and feel it's best used by those new to the job market as well as for those new to management who are not receiving mentoring or adequate on the job training as they are starting out. Long-time employees and managers or those well read in this area might enjoy it as a reminder or refresher for the basics of management but won't find much else to inspire or learn in these pages. Ultimately I give A Survival Guide for Working with Bad Bosses 3 stars...a good place to start, but don't stop here!

A Survival Guide for Working With Bad Bosses: Dealing With Bullies, Idiots, Back-stabbers, And Other Managers from Hell
If you've ever had a job, you've likely come across a bad boss. Bad bosses come in all types from the no-boss and the party planner through the scatterboss and the promises, promises boss to the overloader and the control freak. A Survival Guide for Working with Bad Bosses describes mangers from hell complete with stories of real life versions of these monsters. Each section also includes a What Should the Employee Do section which outlines a number of possible solutions to the problem. A summary called Today's Take-Aways end each section.

A Survival Guide for Working with Bad Bosses is an excellent resource for employees stuck in a difficult situation. Not only does the book remind the reader that he or she is not the only one to have such circumstances but also gives them options which are often difficult to think of when stuck in the middle of a problem. Bosses may also want to read this book as often bad bosses don't even realize their problematic behaviour.

Survival at the office
It is a great feeling to know that you are not alone in the jungles of the workplace. Especially when the advice comes from an expert...You learn not to kill the "bad bosses" and how to deal with the problem zone with kindness without burning your fingers. Yet, I still hope someday any kind of pills will be discovered to terminate such "bad bosses" and we will live happily ever after.