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Bosses: A Field Guide | BNET
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1
Tikae
Field Guide : * * * * *
A beautiful breakdown on the types of bosses one is most likely to encounter. We will each recognise our previous, and current, bosses amongst these. However, the tips for handling them are useful.
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2
viruser
How many of these do you have?
My curiosity got the best of me here; went around my workplace and decided to group all the bosses in the different categories mentioned here. Found all but the "HERO". Have you tried it in your office? Do you find all types of bosses?
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3
Geoffrey James, Sales Machine
Heroes
I've been lucky enough to have worked for three heroes during my longish stint in cubicle land. I quote one of them, Dilip Phadke, in the "how to manage your boss" articles.
Geoffrey -
4
LOUIETR
More types of boses!!!
This is a great list but I do think there's more to it!! For example; the Comic - makes senseless jokes and tries too hard to fit in!!

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5
Geoffrey James, Sales Machine
Subspecies
The joke teller is a subspecies of the fogey. Often a fogey in the early states of gestation.
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6
abeganovic
I love it!
Very funny, yet so true!
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7
chen-id
it's so funny...
hahaha :)))
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8
ameizoso@...
Field guide to bossess
Excellent: You have to make it easy to print
Alexis -
9
alicew
social director
I liked the field guide a lot. Right now I have a "social director" for a boss.
Very nice person, but likes to keep her boss happy by never rocking the boat, so it is difficult for get her to help me get ahead.
She appreciates my worth and praises me often but seems to be afraid to advocate for giving me a raise or promotion with her boss.
Not sure how to get others to build concensus around this particular issue, but I definitely see how it could work for other things.
Thanks for this very interesting and amusing peice. -
10
TechWell
I "dugg" the story!
Love the story so much I dugg it!
http://digg.com/business_finance/Bosses_A_Field_Guide
Go ahead and dig it!! -
11
funnybroad@...
This Rocks!
I love this thing... I wish I could download it in one piece!
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12
adsbze
helpful
Could actually identify many of these characters in my organization.
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13
jennifer.l.calabrese@...
Great format
I really enjoyed the feel of this piece. Great job!
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14
oormi
Bosses: A Field Guide
Great one ...
Add to it "I knew it" type ... the type who knows all about every decision, post-facto of course. -
15
swetha.ragavendra@...
Styles
Very short and good description about the styles currently seen in organizations, excellent way of putting it across to auidence...Good Job..!!
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16
denisedaniele
Our Hero
Absolutely hilarious! Fortunately, my manager is the hero of the bunch.
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17
lwalker@...
SEEN 'EM ALL BEFORE....
LOVED IT....IT'S AWESOME.
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18
vlsdiamond@...
Absolutely Great!!
This is absolutely great - I love it. I have worked for a few of them and sadly it was not the Hero.
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19
ARiley1963@...
Bosses
Ahh how true :)Thank you
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20
yohei_totsuka@...
This is great !
Yes, very interesting categorization !
I've seen some of them, sometimes you even find them combined.
Also reminded me of quite a few of really nice "heroe" bosses. -
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lalouch@...
Bosses
loved it, with my own couple of additions
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22
atlurim2@...
Field Guide To Bosses
Definetly Seen Most of them. Some have changed from one to other with the circumstances
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23
sue.graham@...
Bosses Field Guide
Brilliant!
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24
javad8002
Very Funy
I have read such a funy book "mismanagement" by Isac adizess
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25
khatibsayed
Simplicity Guide
It is fantastic and simple bosses : a field guide.
Thanks for simlicity of your guide.
S.El-khatib\Egypt -
26
ghallica
Simplicity & fun! (;")
Hey!!
This guide is really funny, & useful as well!
I just love it when it mixes fun with learning
Thanks alot
Omar Ghaly, Egypt.. -
27
mrsundeep@...
Boss
Very funny and helpful
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28
bizdev@...
Good Guide
This guide works well for categorize the bosses over the world.
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29
raveenabhardwaj@...
Nice..
Funnny yet very educating...i'l keep the types in mind when i work...!
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30
sybassett1
Bosses Field Guide
HILARIOUS and oh-so true!!
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31
thEditor
You forgot the Chameleon!
Nice One!
I once had a boss who exhibited many of these behaviors...
Fortunately, not all at the same time
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32
klau3363
One is missing
I'm sure one is missing...the one who feels everyone is below them and that he or she is constantly correct and cannot do any wrong.
Overall, this is very hilarious. And yes, I've seen them all as well (unfortunately). -
33
bquick
Social Director to Our Hero
I went from working under a Social Director to an Our Hero. I wish I had this list back then. Those Social Directors are way more annoying than I could have ever imagined, and the list is right, bring the cake and you'll be fine. =P I'll cry if the current boss ever leaves without me! I better start working on making myself indispensable!
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34
jyockey
What a great field guide!
I am so glad I work for a HERO!
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35
icicle
The Lazy Bum
I think its missing the "The Lazy Bum"
Pros: Leaves you alone and lets you get on with your work.
Cons: Puts off anything you need to the point of exasperation. -
36
JohnSB
You forgot another one:
The Passive Aggressive Incompetent
Characteristics: Is constantly trying to make you feel powerless or incompetent in subliminal ways. Likes to take it out on subordinates and vendors when he/she gets in trouble.
Example: Bill Lumbergh (Office Space) with a much larger inferiority complex.
Quotes: "Go back and revise this internal memo. The font size on the footer is one point too large, and it's a little off center."
Pros: If you get laid off, working as a garbage collector seems like a day at the beach. Acts really nice in between passive-aggressive episodes.
Cons: Will never lay you off since you do all of his/her work anyways while he/she takes all the credit. Problems get blamed/taken out on you no matter what the cause is. Gets boring trying to explain to them how to do their job. -
37
ddoggett
RE: Our Hero (Bosses: A Field Guide)
This was awesome. I have seen them all!!
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38
EAmin
only his
Our bosse work only on his binfits
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39
nishith22
RE: Our Hero (Bosses: A Field Guide)
GOOD
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40
Ray892244
RE: Our Hero (Bosses: A Field Guide)
This is great stuff. Any chance it is available for credited use without the comments?
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41
cwpaul
RE: Our Hero (Bosses: A Field Guide)
Astonishingly compelling archetypes- I've often discovered that being a boss demands a combination of these attributes applied with sufficient efficacy and care.
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42
dmlebron
RE: Our Hero (Bosses: A Field Guide)
I loved this! Working for the Government for almost two decades I have seen all these characters. This was so amusing and enlightening. Thanks for the laughter!!!
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43
jackblack8080
RE: Our Real buy guide
a combination of these attributes applied with sufficient efficacy and care.
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44
jackblack8080
free sell
and the list is right, bring the cake and you'll be fine. =P I'll cry if the current boss ever leaves without me! I better start working on making myself indispensable!
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