Root Inc. Unveils Top 5 "Horrible Boss" Personalities

SYLVANIA, OH--(Marketwired - Nov 24, 2014) - As moviegoers anticipate the opening of "Horrible Bosses 2" this week, Root Inc., the strategy execution company, has used its expertise in corporate consulting and leadership development to compile five "horrible boss" personas working in corporate America today -- and tips on how these office villains can reform their evil ways. On screen, managers who make employees' lives miserable create an entertaining story, but in the business world, a bad boss can be a huge detriment, causing employees mental and physical pain while negatively impacting the overall success of the business.

Here are five bosses that need managerial rehab:

1. The "It's all about me" Boss: Frequently, people are promoted to a leadership role because they are great individual contributors, not because they are good at managing others. Managers should coach employees, not worry about how good they look to other people. Unfortunately, when someone becomes a boss, but does not know how to lead, they tend to focus on their own success story versus the well being of their employees.
2. The "Yell and Tell" Boss: Since the origins of the cubicle managers have paced the floor, bossing their employees around and micromanaging them every step of the way. This outdated "yell and tell" method needs to be eliminated for good -- it will always be unsuccessful and lead to unhappy, disengaged employees.
3. The "Managing Up" Boss: Managing up instead of managing the team is another leadership challenge. Decisions can't be made based on what the executive team might want versus what is best for the business. This common problem plagues many leaders who lack authentic business intuition and drive, creating a rift between managers and their people.
4. The "Disengaged" Boss: In the vast ocean of Corporate America, employees can feel lost and alone, marooned on a deserted Island. So if employees have a boss who does not care about them, what they are doing and where they are going, it causes disengagement and most likely, turnover.
5. The "Mean" Boss: Bosses tend to forget that employees are people too; they need a leader with patience and empathy. When managers forget their team has feelings and needs, the managerial approach loses the personal touch it so desperately needs and employees become unhappy and disengaged.

"Each of us hopes and needs our bosses to look at us as individuals, to show an interest in our passions, our careers and our growth," said Gary Magenta, senior vice president, Root Inc. "Unfortunately, this doesn't always happen. In Gallup's 2013 State of the American Workplace study, 70% of participants described themselves as 'disengaged' from their work. This is a big red flag that has to be addressed -- and fast! And quite honestly, bosses and managers are best poised to shift that data quickly and easily."

Horrible bosses -- and yes, the mediocre ones, too -- can actually still become great leaders. And it doesn't even take years of training. The book "The Un-Bossy Boss" written by Magenta, calls out five behaviors managers can adopt now to take them from horrible to great:

1. Ask Powerful Questions. This is the primary difference between a (horrible) manager and a great one. Powerful questions are open-ended (to elicit thoughtful responses), non-judgmental, challenge thinking and are respectful. They're designed to empower managers and bosses to discover more about their people's motivations as they work together to help deliver the desired results for the business, the team and themselves.
2. Listen, Observe, Enable. Listen actively, offer observations, and enable shifts in beliefs, actions, and behaviors. This helps employees discover their own solutions, challenges and opportunities.
3. Leverage All Experiences. Value and harness employees' experience from inside and outside of the workplace, regarding them as "whole people." These experiences are the reason you have hired and retained these employees. When we consider all they bring to the table, not just what we see in the office, we are likely to get more of their best while they are at work!
4. Co-Create Solutions. Engage employees in creating the solutions they'll be asked to implement. You can't just tell them. This is essential and most managers are not good at this. If you expect them to be accountable, make decisions, and be effective stewards of businesses, you need to involve them in creating the solutions they'll be responsible for carrying out.
5. Focus on Growing your People. Make sure your team has the skills, capabilities, and tools needed to face the challenges or opportunities the marketplace presents. Front-line employees have their hands on the levers of change, and in many cases, directly on your products, services and customers. In order to thrive, you've got to enable those people to quickly respond to evolving market and customer demands.

Managers of the world, take note. You are literally the lynchpin of your business and the way you engage and coach your employees impacts the future of the business. To make sure you don't make it into the annals of "horrible bosses", be cognizant of your actions and behaviors and if you think you need work, you probably do. Or better yet, ask your people where they need more from you.

About Root Inc.
Root is a strategy execution company that helps organizations engage their people as the catalyst and driver for change. Root does this by connecting people with complex strategies using creative and visual methods, transformative insights, and consulting know-how on strategy deployment and sustainment. With more than 25 years of capabilities developed from partnering with the world's largest businesses, Root has created a proven framework that consistently achieves clarity, ownership, and results. Based in Sylvania, Ohio, Root has been recognized as a Great Place to Work eight times. Visit www.rootinc.com for more information.