Is Your Boss an Asshole?

[Image from Amazon.com]

Here is an interesting list of questions from Guy Kawasaki based on a Bob Sutton’s book. Amazing how much similarity there is between management bosses and academic advisers.

1. Thinks that the rules are different for him For example, a parking space for handicapped people is really for handicapped people plus him because his time is so valuable that he can’t walk fifty additional feet. Or, the carpool lane is for cars with multiple people, hybrids, and her because she’s late for a meeting.

2. Doesn’t understand the difference between a position making a person and a person making a position. The vice-president of acquisitions for a big media company is a big deal, but all her power, and therefore the ability to act like an asshole, evaporates without this title. Assholes usually don’t understand that their current position affords them temporary privileges.

3. Requires “handlers.” This means a personal assistant, appointments secretary/lover, public relations flunkie, and chauffeur. It’s funny but if an asshole didn’t have the position/money/status, he would probably be able to answer the phone, make appointments, talk to the press, and drive himself.

4. Requires the fulfillment of special requests in order to be happy/productive/efficient. For example, she needs a special brand of spring water from the south of France bottled by chanting monks when she’s making a speech. This type of actions represent flexing for the sake of flexing—not because any of this crap is necessary.

5. Relates to people primarily in terms of what they can do for him. In other words, “good” people can do a lot for him. “Lousy” people aren’t useful. The way a lousy person becomes a good person is by showing that he can help your boss in some way.

6. Judges people by her personal values, not the employees’ or society’s values. Assholes judge people according to only what they think is important. For example, a boss may value only professional accomplishments, so someone who is “merely” a mom or dad with a focus on a family is therefore inferior.

7. Judges employees’ results and his intentions. A boss never comes up short when he juxtaposes his intentions (“I intended to do your quarterly review”) versus an employee’s results (“You didn’t finish the software on time”). Instead, a boss should judge his results against his employees’ results and never mix results and intentions.

8. Asks you to do something that he wouldn’t do. This is a good, all-purpose test. Does your boss ask you to fly coach while she flies first class? Does she ask you to work weekends while he’s off at a hockey tournament? I’m all for using boss time effectively (for example, not making her drop off a package at Federal Express), but were it not that your boss could be doing something more valuable for the company, would she do what she’s asking you to do?

9. Calls employees at home or on the weekends. Rarely, as in once per year, this is okay, but any more often and your boss is certifiable. His happiness is not your problem 24 x 7. You are entitled to your personal time and space because slavery was abolished a long time ago in America.

10. Believes that the world is out to get her when faced with criticism or even omission. For example, bloggers don’t write about her because they are all jealous of her. Frankly, it’s more likely that he’s not worth writing about than the blogosphere is colluding against him. This boss needs to learn that “it’s no always about her.”

11. Slows down or halts your career progress. One can forgive or ignore the previous nine issues, but this one is by far the worst thing an asshole boss can do. Usually it’s a matter of convenience: “How can you leave me? I need you.” For doing this, a boss should go into the anals (sic) of asshole-dom. God didn’t put you on this earth to make your boss’s life better, so don’t hesitate to abandon a boss who holds you back.

Me, and my big mouth

[Image from The Blotter]

Money Worries

[Image from Wikipedia]

I was doing just fine till I got an IM from my father. I am not sure if I had mentioned this or not, but my father has been trying to start a business for about 6 years now, and lets just say it has not been much of a success. Till date it has not generated a single penny in positive cash flow let alone profit. Needless to say he has been running the family and business on borrowed money, both his and mine. A month or so ago, he wanted to borrow $7000 from me for some short term business expense. He promised to return it within 2-3 weeks. I borrowed on whatever was left of my credit cards, and gave it to him. Today he tells me that he has spent all of it, and cannot return it. Normally I would not worry, but this was the last of my credit line. I am close to $30,000 in debt with my credit cards, and have another $21,000 in other loans. All of this money has gone to my dad, not to mention another nearly $40,000 from my internship income.

I know he is trying his best to get out of the rut, but I am worried that his best might not be enough. How do I tell him to quit trying? Even if I do, what should I tell him to do instead? I am so afraid of the future now. I am not sure what we are going to do for the next month’s expenses.

Travel and Misc.

[Image from Wikipedia]

The past week has taken me to all corners of the country. I had to attend a training session in South East and it gave me a chance to get a taste of the “real america.” Having seen it, I dont get what is the big deal about it. It is just a collection of boring little towns where nothing happens. Anyways, the trip was pretty eventful. The taxi driver managed to lose my laptop case while I was sitting in the taxi, and I managed to miss a flight. So, ya, it was interesting to say the least.

I have been travelling with QoH on work related stuff for the last couple of days. It is interesting how our relationship is so dualistic. We seem to swing for ever between love and hate. The trip was pleasant and productive, so no complaints.

I have been dating someone, lets call her RBG (Recovering Big Girl) for the last month and half. Things have been going ok. Not great, not bad, but ok. Lets see how things go.