A bad boss breeds low morale, poor motivation,
performance and productivity that usually produces grumbling and complaining
among co-workers. Don't fall into this “misery loves company” mindset or else
your bad boss and your co-workers will sabotage your chances for a rewarding
career.
A department afflicted with a bad boss
is a sorry sight. It's dismal and depressing. It can prevent
your from rising to the top of the heap, and instead, you will be buried
beneath it.
Employees who find
themselves trying to deal with a bad boss as well as not being caught up in the
office malaise, are up against a double whammy. Not only do you have a bad
boss, but everyone else in your department is suffering from the same
unsupportive situation--and dragging you down with them.
Recent
research by Scott E. Carrell of the University of California-Davis shows
that people may adopt the diet and exercise patterns of the least fit within a
peer group. They don't tend to emulate the most fit, rather they gravitate
toward those who don't make the grade. This is especially true of the lesser
fit individuals.
How does that apply to your bad boss
situation? If you don’t exert extra effort, you’ll be influenced by your
equally unhappy co-workers to be even more unmotivated and unproductive than
you already are.
Don't join in the
water-cooler complaining sessions. Walk away. Instead, surround yourself with
friends outside of the office who are happy and successful in their work.
Always look for ways to succeed, to do your work more efficiently, to advance
your skill set—anything to keep yourself on an upward career track. By doing
so, you can counteract the "peer group effect." You'll find, that no matter how
bad work becomes or how often your bad boss throws a screaming fit, staying
above the fray will help you step up the career ladder faster.
