Crazy bosses

I am reading a book right now by Stanley Bing entitled "Crazy Bosses". It is interesting, mainly because I work for one.

Some of this crazy man's favorite lines are "you just don't understand" and "shine a light on it from a different direction". He is so abusive that he has been known to drive subordinates to tears.

Why is this ok? Why is it ok for bosses to belittle employees or drop the "f bomb" in meetings? Is it because we are so afraid for our jobs, or because we have been trained to be "team players"? While both of those things may be part of the reason, I think the real reasons go deeper and are societal issues, not just corporate ones.

One of the root causes, I believe, include the death of politeness. When I was growing up, I was taught things like "if you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all" and "using vulgarity is rude and shows that you have no command of the language". Unfortunately, all of those teachings are no longer in vogue. What we hear now is "express yourself" and "be true to yourself", who cares about the feelings of others! So, the next time you are belittled by your boss, or cussed at by a CEO, think about how you are raising your own children......


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