Fortune's Stanley Bing shares his take on the five types of crazy bosses, and some strategies for dealing with one, from "Crazy Bosses" (Harper Collins).
By Stanley Bing
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The bully
Be ostentatiously loyal
Rationale: Bullies demand a visible show of fealty, day in and day out. This means looking out for his interests and bringing matters that could cause him discomfort to his attention before anyone else does. In political struggles, it may involve conveying other people's planned machinations against him to his attention. Offer him juicy tidbits of scuttlebutt as liberally and as often as you can, creating the very public impression that you and your supreme commander are one. Ask his advice often and take it literally. When it becomes necessary in hostile meetings, take a bullet that was meant for him.
Effectiveness: High. But make sure he sees you do it. Loyalty is one thing. Loyalty with no prospect of return is just dumb.
The central question of every hardworking person's career is how to work less hard while still being able to buy an expensive bottle of wine without trembling. The answer is simple: Retire while still working! (more)
The central question of every hardworking person's career is how to work less hard while still being able to buy an expensive bottle of wine without trembling. The answer is simple: Retire while still working! (more)
