Undercover Boss–What’s Your Management Type?

Poor Jimbo.

Jimbo, last name unknown is a manager with Hooters and after the airing of the second episode of “Undercover Boss” can now officially be thought of as the poster child for poor management everywhere.  And after Jimbo’s performance on the show, I can honestly say the bar of acceptable forms of management has been lowered.  The fact is that the behavior of Jimbo and others like him is not out of the norm.  Quite honestly, I’d like to thank Jimbo.  It’s without guys like him that Human Resource professionals (like me) and the EEOC would be completely out of a job.  God bless the sucky boss.

If you have worked in human resources for more than 15 minutes, you’ve spent lifetimes coaching, training, developing, and working with managers more bad than good.  And to make it easier to discern between different managerial styles, I’ve created my own list of the 6 Most Common Types of Managers.   You may be surprised to learn that Jimbo made the list.

• Megan. She’s a control freak who tends to hoard information and resources.  She bullies her way into other accepting her decisions.  This person has no qualms in interrupting your lunch or personal time to discuss a problem or situation that she deems to have an immediate need.  Her schedule and thoughts dictate the moves and decisions of others and she likes it that way because there are no surprises.  Provide Megan daily or weekly updates before she asks for them.  This allows Megan and others like her to trust you and develop a sense of control.

• Jimbo. Jimbo cares more about himself than his employees.  He will never admit a mistake outright and is always quick to pass the blame.  He will provide you with a compliment if he believes if it will accomplish an objective.  Jimbo believes he works harder and smarter than you.  He does not trust his own employees to make decisions but is loyal to others that have put in their time if it benefits his situation.  Understand Jimbo’s objective and work towards a common goal.  This allows you a commonality from which you can build your relationship on.

• Sam. He always passes the buck but is quick to celebrate the victory with or without you.  Sam is always quick to point out any potential problems with a suggested solution while also not providing his own original solution.  This person’s strategy is to look good and get ahead while leaving everyone else as collateral damage.  Working with someone who is quick to pass judgement and blame can be fun especially when you prove them wrong.  Provide them with facts, figures, solid documentation, and a clear picture of what you plan on accomplishing.

• Brian. On the surface, Brian appears to be the most wonderful boss you could ever have.  He listens to your concerns, is open to suggestion but you quickly learn that this person is without a spine.  Brian fails to address situations head on for fear of making waves and always tells people what they want to hear instead of having the tough, critical conversations.  Be upfront and clear with Brian before you begin your conversation so he won’t be left unguarded and surprised.  He works hard to be well-liked by his team.  Let him know you appreciate him.

• Tom. He works the crowd and always has the right answer.  Tom, a politician is a highly skilled manipulator who uses resources, connections, and other people to make himself look golden.  By providing yourself as a valuable resource to Tom, you can be untouchable, while Tom rides your coat tails and enjoys his celebrity.  Maintain good records and documentation when working with Tom.  It will allow you to hold your ground.  Use Tom’s connections and relationships to further yourself within your organization.   His relationships can led you to special projects or committees.  Understand that Tom does not often have his own original idea or thought of his own outside of someone within the organization to call a favor for.

• Rebecca. This is the person who builds teams, helps develop others, and is someone we all want to work for.  They help you succeed without hanging you out to dry.  She works best using delegation and empowerment so don’t be afraid to bring Rebecca new and interesting ideas and suggestions to make her department or team stronger.  She wants involvement and input so it is very important for you to understand your role within her sphere of control.

Do you have any additions to the list?  Have you worked for anyone who mirrors someone on the list?  If so, please leave your comments below.

(Please note-the names of the manager types do not in any way represent the actual likeness of a live person and are completely random and without incident.  The author also is not responsible for any perceived likenesses of persons who are alive and work in management in real life. ~ ha!)

Photo Credit Zazzle.

Tagged as: bad bosses, EEOC, employee engagement, high performance teams, horrible boss, HR, jimbo, leadership development, leadership style, management, management styles, managing others, motivating employees, my boss sucks, undercover boss