Dealing With Your Incompetent Boss

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Dealing with Your Incompetent Boss1:26 PM Monday June 6, 2011

by Amy Gallo | Comments ( 39)

Everyone complains about his or her boss from time to time.

In fact, some consider it a national workplace pastime. But

there's a difference between everyday griping and stressful

frustration, just as there is a clear distinction between a

manager with a few flaws and one who is incompetent.

Dealing with the latter can be anguishing and taxing. But with

the right mindset and a few practical tools, you can not only

survive but flourish.

What the Experts Say

"Most people have had experience with someone who is

incompetent, or at least unhelpful," says Annie McKee,

founder of the Teleos Leadership Institute and co-author of

Becoming a Resonant Leader: Develop Your Emotional

Intelligence, Renew Your Relationships, Sustain Your

Effectiveness. Ineptitude in managers is unfortunately

common. McKee says that's because too many companies

promote people for the wrong reasons. People get ahead because they show results or have the

right technical capabilities, but they often don't have the requisite people skills. Michael Useem, the

William and Jacalyn Egan Professor of Management at the Wharton School and author of Leading

Up: How to Lead Your Boss So You Both Win says that whether your boss lacks technical or

managerial ability, the results are the same: bad bosses sap motivation, kill productivity, and can

make you want to run from the job screaming. While leaving is an option, it's not the only one for

coping with a bad boss. Consider these tactics first.

Understand the incompetence

Before you declare your boss useless, check your bias and better understand what you are seeing.

"When you're looking at your boss, the first thing you need to do before you judge, is look at

yourself," says McKee. Many people have blind spots when it comes to their bosses. Ask yourself

whether you are jealous of her position in the organization or if you have a natural tendency to resist

authority. Your assessment of her incompetence may be unfairly informed by these beliefs.

Consider also whether you have all of the relevant information. "Be cautious about your judgment

until you collect the evidence," says Useem. Remember she may have stressors you don't see or

fully understand. "It's very common for people to completely miss the pressures their boss is under.

Partly because a good manager will buffer you from them," says McKee. By learning more about

your boss and developing empathy for her, you may reevaluate her competence. Remember, even if

you conclude that she is indeed incapable, that she is human and don't demonize her.

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03.08.2011http://blogs.hbr.org/hmu/2011/06/dealing-with-your-incompetent.html

http://blogs.hbr.org/hmu/2011/06/dealing-with-your-incompetent.html

Ask others for help

Look to peers or people outside the organization for advice and a place to vent. This doesn't mean

indiscriminate moaning about your boss. "You're not going to help by joining in on the complaining,"

says McKee. Instead find confidants: a trusted colleague, a spouse, a mentor, or a coach. Explain

what you are seeing, how it is impacting you and your work, and ask for advice. "This is not to

conspire against your boss, but to check your point of view," says Useem. People outside the

situation can give you a fresh perspective or offer helpful suggestions for how to cope.

Make it about you, not your boss

Regardless of your boss's competence level, you need to work together to get your job done, and

presumably advance your career. Managing your boss works best if you frame requests and

interactions around your needs. "Telling someone who is not self aware that they aren't self aware is

generally not helpful," McKee explains. Instead, say something like: "I want to do a good job and

achieve my goals, and I need your help to do that." Be specific about what you want: his input on

your work, an introduction to another colleague, his permission to reach out to a client, etc. If he is

unable to help, suggest an alternative: perhaps you can ask one of his peers or superiors for input or

an introduction. Help him solve the problem.

Lead up

Rather than giving up on an ineffectual boss, focus on what you can do to fill in the holes. "It's the

calling of leadership to understand what the office or organization needs, and what the customer

deserves and to then help them get it. If you recognize [your boss isn't] fulfilling the mission of the

enterprise, more power to you for stepping up," says Useem. You don't have to cover up mistakes

but do what's best for the organization. "Leadership goes up just as often as it goes down," says

Useem. You need to do this without harboring resentment. Do it because you know that it's

necessary for the good of the team.

Think twice before ratting anyone out When you're working for someone who isn't getting the job done, it can be tempting to go to your

boss's boss or another leader in the organization. First consider the consequences. "Hierarchy is

alive and well. And this person has more power than you do. If you're going to expose them, you

need to understand the political current in your organization," warns McKee. People at the top of an

organization may feel threatened if they see someone trying to take down their peer and may be

unwilling to help. Useem agrees. "It's hazardous to speak up in a very pragmatic sense. If it

becomes known that it was you, who's going to be the first to go?" he says. So if you do decide to

formally complain, he advises doing it carefully. Test the waters with someone you trust before going

to HR or a superior.

Both McKee and Useem emphasize that there are times when you are obligated to speak up. "In

extreme circumstances, if the boss is involved in malfeasance, you have a duty to act," says Useem.

In these cases, you need to go to HR and report what you have observed. Be ready to share

evidence.

Take care of yourself Working for an incompetent boss can be bad for your health. "There is a lot of research on the

negative psychological effects," says McKee. She suggests creating psychological boundaries that

protect you from the emotional damage. We have a tendency to point to a bad boss and say, "He is

ruining my life." But, this ignores the fact that you have agency in the situation: you can decide

whether to stay or not. "Once you become a victim, you cease to become a leader," she says. Focus

on what makes you happy about your job, not miserable. "We can come to work every day and pay

attention to this horrible boss or we can choose to pay attention to the people we are happy to see

every day or the work we enjoy. We can choose which emotions we lean into," says McKee.

Of course, if you aren't able to do that, you shouldn't suffer indefinitely. Consider looking for a

transfer to a new boss or a new employer.

Principles to Remember

Do

Have empathy for your boss and the pressures he may be under.•

Create psychological boundaries around work so that your boss's incompetence doesn't negatively impact your health or wellbeing.

•

Focus on the broader good of the organization and what you can do to contribute.•

Don't

Try to point out to your boss all the ways that she is incompetent.•

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AMY GALLOAmy Gallo is a contributing editor at Harvard Business Review. Follow her on Twitter at @amyegallo.

More blog posts by Amy Gallo

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PREVIOUS How to Make a High-Stakes Decision

NEXT Turning Stress into an Asset

Go to your boss's boss unless you are aware of the potential ramifications.•

Stick it out if none of your coping strategies are working — know when you need to leave.•

Case Study #1: Focus on what you need

Hilary Parker* had recently moved to Baltimore* and was excited about her new job with a state

agency. She was hired by her new boss, Jeremy*, to create a new state-wide alliance focused on

environmental issues. Jeremy had been with the agency for years and was well liked across the

organization. Three months into the job, however, Hilary noticed that Jeremy was not introducing her

to people or setting up the meetings he had promised to. These connections were crucial because

Hilary's project depended on forming relationships. "It felt like he was blocking me a bit," she says.

Over the next few months, things seemed to get worse. He failed to make introductions, took a long

time to get back to her on time-sensitive issues, and took things off Hilary's plate without explanation.

"I saw that he was very good at parts of his job but he was terrible at supporting and developing the

new program that I was responsible for," she says.

Hilary was frustrated but still determined to get her job done. So she created a detailed table of the

projects she was working on, including information about their status and the contacts and support

she needed to make them successful. She then presented the document to Jeremy. This exercise

helped her organize her thoughts and ensure she was meeting her boss's expectations. But she also

used it as a way of gaining permission to seek help elsewhere. Specifically, she asked if she could

contact Jeremy's boss Michael*, the chair of the organization, who eventually helped her move some

of her projects forward. Michael also sensed Hilary's frustration and encouraged her to be open

about it. "He was very supportive. He gave me the feedback I'd been hoping for from Jeremy," she

says. In the end, with Michael's support, Hilary decided to leave her position. A few months later, he

hired her to work on a consulting project for another agency.

Case Study #2: Protect yourself Stephanie Fadden* has been in the marketing and communications industry* for more than 16 years.

A year ago she took a job at a Fortune 100 company. Michelle*, her new boss, had a similar

background but had never managed others before. Early in their working relationship, Stephanie

began to see that Michelle was not a clear communicator, could not articulate priorities, and

struggled to make decisions. Stephanie was particularly frustrated when Michelle returned her work

with line edits that had little to do with the content but were more about stylistic differences. She saw

that this boss had little to teach her.

Fortunately for Stephanie, she had a direct route to Michelle's manager because he had recruited

her into the organization. She explained to both the manager and Michelle that she didn't think this

specific job was a good fit and proposed a move to a new position with a different boss. She framed

this suggestion about her needs and refrained from complaining about how she was being managed.

The new position didn't come to fruition, but Stephanie resolved to not let Michelle get her down.

Instead she developed coping tactics. "I ask her for exactly what I need. If she is unable to provide it,

I provide her with a recommendation," she says.

She has also shifted her mindset. "I've stopped trying to change her," she says. She tries to look at

her with compassion. "It's so obvious to me that she's not comfortable in those shoes. She may not

know that she's incompetent but she must know that she's not hitting it out of the park. She's trying

to do what she thinks a good manager is supposed to do." Stephanie has also made peace with her

own situation. "I've accepted and embraced that it's my choice to stay here. Knowing that this is

something in my control and I'm not a victim has helped me tremendously," she says. There are

days that Stephanie wishes she could just leave but she reminds herself that she is choosing to stay.

"If I focus on the things in my control, I have a more productive day."

*Names and some details have been changed

More on: Managing up, Managing yourself




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This article covers incompetent bosses but does not distinguish between managerial incompetence and personality incompetence. Much can be learned here from Scott Adams's tongue-in-cheek but actually quite prescient description of the "boss matrix": competent/incompetent and benign/evil. The vast majority of bosses in my experience are incompetent/benign. These bosses can be managed effectively. Incompetent/evil bosses can often be "managed around" by being proactive, by covering your behind through careful documentation, and by getting support from others in the organization. Competent/evil bosses, however, effectively "manage up" and take credit for their underlings' work while driving their workers too hard and denying credit. The strategies proposed in this article are ineffective for this type of boss. Going elsewhere in the organization for support or to the boss's boss are ineffective because the competent/evil types do a great job of making sure everyone in the organization knows how much they can get done and how little their team does. The only option in my experience is to leave the division or the company when under such a boss.

Alex Bowles and 29 more liked this Like

This article has helped me decide on my next moves with my bosses. Thank you very much for your most enlightening inputs.

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Excellent comment, and description of the competent / evil in my recent experience I had to deal with a competent/evil boss, these personalities exacerbate anything that does not go according to their vision, tend to be vocal and have power in the organization either because of their competence track record or previous experience. They have little respect for the contributions of others to the organization and if you are in a sales group, likely will take credit for your business with little options left for you. To reinforce your point, moving to another division or company is the best option, and if possible try to make it on good terms.


How/what would you suggest one could do if working with a Competent/evil bosses...if leaving the division or the company was the last option

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Same here, great Article....

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Observer, This framework is a great addition. When I interviewed McKee and Useem for this post, they both made reference to the difference between a boss who is a jerk and one who is unable to do his/her job. I think this matrix provides a good lens. Thanks. Amy

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"Make it about you, not your boss"Never ever make it about you - you make it about addressing specific business problems objectively. If you *ever* give an insecure, ineffective, poor manager a reason that you are deficient in some way, that reason/deficiency will follow you and be brought up in subsequent meeting for

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Observer 1 month ago

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PujaM 1 month ago in reply to Observer

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Leonardraphael 1 month ago in reply to Observer

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Amy Gallo 1 month ago in reply to Observer

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Slappy 1 month ago




the rest of your tenure with that manger or maybe that company. That is part of the behavior for poor mangers, they go around making excuses for poor results and it is even better when they can foist the blame on an underling. Even you create some fictitious deficiency to prove some point in a discussion, it will most likely follow you there after.Training a bad manager is like training someone else's dumb dog. You better ask yourself how much effort you want to spend training versus doing your job. If you decide it is more effort than it is worth then move on to training a different dog at a different company.


Slappy, Thanks for your comment. Indeed, "make it about you" does not refer to pointing out your own weaknesses or deficiencies (although we all have them). My intent with that section was to say that telling an unaware, incompetent boss that he or she is incompetent is going to get you nowhere. If you focus on what you need from the boss in terms of output, advice, or guidance, you are much more likely to have a functional relationship. I agree with Burton below that thinking you can change your boss is a mistake. There is a great post from Li Xin Bai that talks about how if you are unhappy with your leader, you need to change how you follow: http://blogs.hbr.org/cs/2010/1... Best, Amy


The problem of working under a 'bad boss' get many times multiplied if your boss knows that he is incompetent and then uses all sorts of organisation dynamics to keep himself afloat somehow. Also, an incompetent boss with a big ego is a lethal mix, in my experience. These kind of people will not hesitate for a moment to remove any threat they see which can make their position vulnerable.


Great article! I've found that at least 50 percent of boss (and staff) incompetency issues are a result of not understanding the four social styles: drivers, analyticals, amiables and expressives. While zillions of people have taken the Myers-Briggs assessment, I find that less than 20 percent of the work force remember their own Myers-Briggs style and hardly any team members (less than one percent) are serious students of their bosses--and work hard to understand their bosses, their peers and their own direct reports. Understanding the four social styles in the People Bucket is the first step in realizing that not every boss is incompetent--just different.

mutyang and 1 more liked this Like

I agree with John. It's sometimes is not about being "incompetent". Sometimes, we need to cross the bridge of differences in characters to make the whole working environment workable. :) This is really a nice article. I shared it to almost every one in my office.

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I took the line about "Make it about you..." to mean that you can only change yourself, not other people. if you spend all your energy focused on how bad your boss is, you will just end up frustrated and miserable. But if you focus on what you can control and what you can do, you will feel more empowered and less helpless.


I don't necessarily like the idea of advocating "coping" with an incompetent boss (managerial incompetence). It's not quite, but close, to encouraging bad behavior. I agree with many points of the article, but I feel it's missing the caveat that these coping/managing through the incompetence techniques should only be temporary solutions. As temporary as possible; not a permanent compromise. The longer the organization tolerates the incompetence, the more destructive the longer term consequences. "In any compromise between good and evil, it is only evil that can profit"..... And I disagree that leadership goes both up and down. By the very definition of the word, one side has formal influence over the other. If it worked both ways, then titles and compensation would be equal. A

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Amy Gallo 1 month ago in reply to Slappy

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mutyang 5 days ago in reply to John Pearson

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Cris Alvarez 1 month ago



http://blogs.hbr.org/cs/2010/1


leader is supposedly being compensated specifically for their ability to lead. If a direct report is doing any leading in that relationship, then there is a clear and unsustainable inequity.


This is an article that touched a sensitive chord of mine, as I find myself in a similar situation to the ones described in the article above. My boss acts like an incompetent one, but only because he has shifted priorities (from work to private life) and not because he can not be a good manager. I actually believe that he can make a great boss, but he is just not interested in it. Therefore, I find it very difficult to motivate myself and "see the light at the end of the tunnel". But I have to admit this is also because I am currently in a phase where I am analysing whether it is worth to struggle so much for my career at the expense of my health and my private life. I guess I have to figure this soon :)


A bad boss can be bad for lots of reasons. Mostly though, they dont get it, and neither does their boss. It mostly happens in bigger organisations. Not sure why, but I suspect that beaucracy plays a big part.


Interesting how the 'incompetent boss' is referred to as a she, of course!


Lunder, I refer to the incompetent boss as both a "he" and a "she" in the post. Our style is to alternate pronouns throughout the piece to avoid the kind of bias you are referring to. In my research for this piece, it was clear that incompetence comes in both genders, all ages and all styles. Best, Amy

Mark Stansbury and 1 more liked this Like

I think the advice in the article is helpful when dealing with an incompetent boss within an essentially competent organization. My experience has shown that incompetent bosses often thrive in organizations that foster incompetence, typically your incompetent boss reporting to his incompetent boss. This is particuarly true in 'up or out' structures such as consulting firms where your future is assured by agreeing with and flattering your boss, no matter how bad the decision-making and management. In these structures by the time that you have put in your five years to become a manager, your ability to provide rational leadership and intelligent decision making has been severly compromised.


My boss and couple of seniors are literally LIARS.. I fix their work routinely and make process and technical improvemnts recommendations often( These are Must in order to finish my work and make my work robust)..So instead of appreciating My boss Lies to his boss and makes up story. At one point threatened too.It is demotivating. Eventhough being extremly qualified with 2 business and one technical master level education from elite school...you get side lined and you always need to put extra effort to have voice heard and work done..Eventhough it is crucial for project success and important from several aspects..May be the supervisor or the whole set up where a person should go extra miles to prove themselves which after sometime become tiresome and generates apathy for the whole system where less competent(idea and /or people) in a whole gets lime light(for being YES people to the incompetent boss) --that is also fine..But your hours of work and tons of effort get comparatively less reward in all aspect..And then there is office politics, bullying and framing a person... in sumarry always always need to go extra mile for everything!!

1 person liked this. Like

Great post, most insightful. If a person is competent, this is great advice on how to deal with the incompetent boss. But what if we expand things a bit .... incompetent boss + multiple incompetent direct reports + multiple competent direct reports ... lets say you're one of the competent direct reports and surrounded but many who are

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Amy Gallo 1 month ago in reply to Lunder

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Rick Yvanovich 1 month ago




incompetent ... how to handle the boss then, especially when they can't seem to tell the difference between their competent / incompetent team members.


It sounds like it is time to move on!!

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"Seek to understand, before being understood". You may think your boss is not supporting you, however are you focusing and driving what you were asked to do!


Amy..one of my stories.. One of the senior executives at my organization asked for my advice in dealing with person reporting to him..The person in question was constantly questioning the the senior executive's orders..I suggested that he take this person out to lunch somewhere outside of the organization and see why this person was exhibiting this behavior..before the senior executive could get a word out as they sat down for lunch,the manager made the comment , "I know you can't teach old dogs new tricks"..lunch was over and a pink slip was delivered the next day..


Amy, this is a hidden truth in most organizations with incumbents plagued by such circumstance often leaving.great tips on what and what not to do to address.

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Eventhough being extremly qualified with 2 business and one technical master level education from elite school...you get side lined and you always need to put extra effort to have voice heard and work done..Eventhough it is crucial for project success and important from several aspects..May be the supervisor or the whole set up where a person should go extra miles to prove themselves which after sometime become tiresome and generates apathy for the whole system where less competent(idea and /or people) in a whole gets lime light(for being YES people to the incompetent boss) --that is also fine..But your hours of work and tons of effort get comparatively less reward in all aspect..And then there is office politics, bullying and framing a person... in sumarry always always need to go extra mile for everything!! SAME HERE DUDE>.....but after a while u get irritated ,frustated N MANY A THINGS

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Well a good read I must say!

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Great article - but concerning to read: Do Have empathy for your boss and the pressures (he) may be under. [emphasis added] Don'tTry to point out to your boss all the ways that (she) is incompetent.[emphasis added]Looks like a major issue of gender inequality here, and from a female author too. Dont get me wrong - we dont need to all "be woman hear me roar" - but most style guides have (s/he) standard. In the end, it looks more like slopping proof reading than any intended signs of inequality, but that some how makes it worse.

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Very good article... can relate it to day-to-day situations...

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Amanda 1 month ago in reply to Rick Yvanovich

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"Leadership goes up just as often as it goes down," - Great point - It help to expose individual's leadership skill as well "Test the waters with someone you trust before going to HR or a superior." - Often people will not dare to touch this topic - Good insight

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This is a very interesting article and I agree with many of the points presented here. However, I will disagree with the fact that you don't have to point out the incompetencies of your boss. It will most likely be detrimental to the company and to the boss' self esteem if every has been noticing the errors he makes and nobody cared to tell or check on him.Katrina Bea Internet Marketing Personnel New Media Services Pty. Ltd. Web and Mobile Support Services Provider http://www.newmediaservices.co...

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Some great advice, Amy, thank you. One of the ideas I develop in Lead By Greatness is that if you lead people with your personal stature rather than with your positional status, then leading upwards is as easy as leading downwards; you don't need power in either case. The whole book is really about leading with stature rather than with status. David Lapin Author: Lead By Greatness http://LeadByGreatness.com Twitter @davidlapin

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Beni, good chap and guest, I'm so glad to hear the article was helpful to you all. Being at odds with your boss can be so dispiriting. The people I spoke with for the article described hating to go to work and feeling despair at having to even talk with their boss. If you have any further advice to share from your experiences, please post it. Amy

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Hi Amy, Thank you so much for sharing this article with us. I have been through this experience at least twice and in both cases, despite I tried to change my mindset and approaches I couldn't cope with it. When there is bullying involved for instance, many times your manager will always try and frustrate you no matter the approach. It becomes rather personal...in one situation I tried to change departments, and my manager even arranged for the role to not be granted to me! What I have realised is that bullying is many times accompanied by incompetence as a self-defence strategy. If you would be able to provide some advice on the type of situation I'm bringing up here, that would be great! Thanks, Carla

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Since I joined my new company some months back, I've been at loggerheads with my new boss. However, through talking with some friends and reflecting some of my actions, I've started adopting a strategy for dealing with my boss. This article helped to affirm that I've been on the right path so far, thanks. I will continue through and see how else I can make my work better in future.

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Good article Im in a similar situation now, but i've been collecting evidence since before i was notified i will have to leave the office. I tried to understand that this new boss come from a different sector of the industry and that probably his aim is to improve service no matter how expensive it could be rather than make an efficient use of resources. His surprising decisions had cost the office a few thousand of pounds, he is not reporting accurately central office arguing there is a restructuring, and he is even taking badly about his subordinates with members of the board of not achieving his objectives. When I try to make my point he oftenly came with

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good chap 1 month ago



http://www.newmediaservices.co

http://LeadByGreatness.com


rude answers questioning my intelligence. I want to report it without being taken as an angry fired employee, should I take the risk? I mean anyway im leaving by the end of the month

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Take the risk and go for it. Report him by making a detailed report of your journey so far in the organization, detailing every inch of the event along the line. An forward your report as a case study to those whom it may concern. This is just my take.


This is validation that I am not insane..... and I am definitely not alone. I am the protagonist in case study #2. The choice is mine - to stay and focus on the good things (like being able to leave work on time, zero pressure - which are unfortunately not career-related and could be bad on the flip side since I am not learning) or leave when an opportunity comes along. Anyhow, great article!

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Great article. I was dealing with a boss like this a year ago and read this great book on it - "Crazy Bosses" by Stanley Bing. It's really funny, a quick read, and makes you feel as though you're not insane. I wrote a book review for it on my blog as well: http://ashtreedesign.blogspot....

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Love this article for several reasons: 1. It validates such a common experience - horrifying how common - and also explains some of the reasons it's so common. 2. "Make it about you" is the only way to give feedback and be heard, vs. putting someone on the defensive which is guaranteed to make matters worse. 3. My favorite part is that leadership goes both up and down. To be a true leader, and to show your stuff to an organization and to your colleagues, help the organization (and even your "bad" boss) succeed. That will place you in the best light - as a leader and as someone who can be entrusted with interests of the organization.

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"My favorite part is that leadership goes both up and down. To be a true leader, and to show your stuff to an organization and to your colleagues, help the organization (and even your "bad" boss) succeed." So true. Good boss, bad boss, whatever: Your job is to make your boss a hero.

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Dealing With Your Incompetent Boss