When you’ve got a bad boss, you know it. A truly terrible manager has the power to decimate your enjoyment at work, but even slightly rubbish bosses can have a detrimental impact… even if that’s just increased eye rolls and grumbling. 

We tend to think of each of our bad bosses as uniquely bad in their terribleness, but the reality is that bad bosses tend to fall neatly into certain types. And the good news is that by learning about these types and how to handle them, we can all be better equipped to deal with a rubbish manager. This is what Debra Corey, an award-winning HR expert, explores in her new book, Bad Bosses Ruin Lives: The Building Blocks For Being A Great Boss.

“I genuinely believe that the majority of us want to be a great boss,” Corey tells Stylist. “We want to wake up in the morning excited to come in to lead and inspire our people, and leave at the end of the day knowing that we’ve done something to help them be their best and enrich their lives. But too often this isn’t happening, with well-intentioned bosses getting it wrong. Instead of being the great boss they want and need to be, they’re doing the opposite of what they set out to do – they’re making bad decisions, taking bad actions and having a bad impact.

“According to our recent global study, 99.6% of people have had a bad boss and 80% of people admit to having been a bad boss. What can we do about that? How do you spot the traits of a bad boss so that you can actively and intentionally do something about them?”

The first step in dealing with a bad boss is identifying them. Knowledge is power, after all. So with that in mind, let’s break down the 10 types of bad boss Corey explores in her book, and how to spot the warning signs that this might be the type of leader you’re up against.

“The avoider doesn’t show up for their people, not giving them the time and attention they need to do their job and feel valued,” Carey explains. “They also avoid providing feedback, leaving their people in an endless loop of trying to figure out if they should continue doing what they’ve been doing, change directions, or give up completely.”

Some early warning signs? Your planned catch-ups keep going missed, you’re not sure what you’re supposed to be doing, and you’ve yet to receive a drop of feedback (positive or negative). 

You could have sworn you mentioned that thing you’ve been tasked with wouldn’t be possible. So why is your manager asking for it ahead of the deadline? And why is that not one of your ideas has made it past the pitching stage? 

The ignorer type of bad boss is exactly what it sounds like: they ignore you. Corey says: “The ignorer doesn’t listen to what their people have to say, ignoring their input, ideas, and perspectives. They also don’t give them the time and space to speak up, and by doing this miss out on what they have to say and contribute, making them feel undervalued.”

This has nothing to do with the clutter on someone’s desk. Instead, the hoarder holds all information close to their chest, sharing nothing. If you have a boss that fits this type, you’ll feel constantly out of the loop and caught off-guard. 

Suspect you’re working for a hoarder type? Keep an eye out for – and perhaps even take note of – the times when comments fly right over your head in meetings or when someone assumes you’re aware of something that you have no clue about. If that’s happening a lot, you’ve got an information hoarder on your hands.

“The unappreciator doesn’t show people recognition or gratitude for the good and great work they’re doing and the contributions they’re making,” Corey tells us. “From a simple thank you to a more formal show of appreciation, they’re missing out on making their people feel valued and seen.”

Yes, this is an excellent song by Foo Fighters, but it’s also the name for a boss who’s always acting like everything’s fine… even when it’s not, which could leave you blindsided. 

Corey says: “The pretender withholds the truth and any discomfort it could cause others in an attempt to please and be nice to them, giving answers they feel are wanted but failing to give them the honesty they need and deserve. By pretending that everything is OK and avoiding conflicts or discomfort, this boss is withholding information that could help their people do their jobs even better or be happier and more productive at work.”

Ever felt like your boss is an obstacle to your journey navigating up the ladder? They don’t vouch for you when the possibility for a promotion comes up, they’ve never put you forward for training and the idea of them backing your payrise request is out of the question. That’s blocker behaviour, and it can be seriously damaging. 

“The blocker prevents or gets in the way of their people’s development and career progression, blocking them from achieving their goals, mastering new skills, or contributing to the company’s success,” Corey explains. “They also can obstruct the visibility and voice of their people, not standing up for and being an advocate for them.”

Corey says: “The firefighter deals with situations in a reactive and urgent manner, moving people from fire to fire with no apparent strategy. This impacts their ability to plan, learn, grow and achieve more meaningful and long-term achievements. being stuck in an exhausting cycle of fighting one fire after another.”

Signs your boss is this type include there being no long-term strategy (at least not that you can see), a sense that you’re in constant crisis mode and difficulty pinning down your boss when you have questions about bigger, longer-term projects. 

Oh, you’ll know this type. The signs of a micromanager are clear to see: it’s when your boss is always there. The micromanager has to be involved in everything you do; they want to check over your emails, know exactly what you’re doing at every minute of the day and have a hand in any of your plans. 

“They don’t give their team the time, space and autonomy to perform, which can leave their people resentful, resistant and frustrated,” Corey notes. 

You’ll know you have a blamer for a boss if they refuse to ever own up to their mistakes, if sorry seems to be the hardest word and if any mess-up gets shifted onto you. 

“This can create a culture of fear, having a toxic effect on how their people act and feel,” says Corey. 

Debra Corey is an award-winning HR expert and the author of Bad Bosses Ruin Lives: The Building Blocks For Being A Great Boss (out now), co-authored with Ken Corey. 

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