We all look for a real leader in our boss. The one who can have our backs, who motivates and inspires. It’s a person you can thoroughly trust, learn from, and grow together with professionally.
The truth is, in reality, exactly the opposite can happen. Our managers, bosses and supervisors can downright make our life a living hell. And having in mind that we spend 40 hours a week and 2,080 working hours a year with them, this is a huge lump of our life to spend in misery.
Below we wrapped up some blood-boiling examples that demonstrate what real leaders should not do or say. We also spoke with Dr. Gleb Tsipursky, the best-selling author and CEO of Disaster Avoidance Experts who shared some key signs of a bad boss, as well as how to be a great leader to your team.
More stories about annoying bosses can be found in our previous features here and here.
This post may include affiliate links.
Very Inappropriate Joke
I'm glad they quit and filed a complaint. People like this shouldn't be the boss of anyone.
That's Just Awful
"She was like a sister to me." (That's a sad situation, and the lack of compassion is messed -up.)
Terrible Boss Regretting
"Be grateful that I allow you to see your family once a week" - WTF, that's delusional.
When you work in a toxic workplace, you may get used to it. In fact, it may even be impossible to pinpoint the reason why you don’t like being around your boss, or why everything they do seems to cause a negative response in you. In some cases, however, the signs that your boss should take on leadership courses, or part with leading their team altogether, are more than obvious.
Dr. Gleb Tsipursky told Bored Panda via email that micromanaging is one of the key signs of a bad boss. It includes things like “Constantly checking on employees, not delegating responsibilities, and not trusting their team, which can lead to employee frustration and decreased productivity.”
I'm Still In Shock
"Just thought you would of been professional" Just thought you as a boss might have learned "of" doesn't go there.
I Just Found Out I'm The Single Lowest Paid Paramedic At My Ambulance Company, Despite Having The Most Experience By Several Years
Please Note The Timestamps. Any Suggestions On How To Deal With This Outrageous Unfairness?
A bad boss, Dr. Gleb argues, can be also described as someone who lacks communication, fails to provide feedback, set clear expectations, or listen to employee concerns. This can create a negative work environment and result in misunderstandings. Playing favorites is another sign to look out for. “Favoritism can lead to resentment among employees and can create an unfair work environment,” Dr. Gleb explained.
My Fiance Called In Sick. Her Boss Called 911 And Told The Police She Was On Drugs. Is This Legal?
My Store Manager Yelled At Me Because I Can Barely Afford To Eat
I Got Fired For Telling The Boss "How To Do His Job" When All I Did Was Say, "We Can't Obstruct A Fire Escape"
Moreover, “a bad boss may blame others for their mistakes, fail to take responsibility for their actions, or fail to hold themselves or their team accountable for their performance.”
Similarly, a lack of empathy is another warning sign. “A boss who is insensitive to the needs of their team may not be able to effectively support them or address their concerns,” Dr. Gleb explained.
“A boss who makes poor decisions or fails to make timely decisions can negatively impact the team's performance and morale,” he added.
My Boss Thinks I Should Skip Seeing My Probation Officer And Go To Jail So He Can Have A Day Off. He Thinks My Labor Should Be More Important Than My Freedom
TBF that's pretty s****y of probation as they want people on probation to be back giving to society and working etc but then risk their jobs when they make them call off because they can't give them a time of when they're coming
I Left My Job Shortly After Receiving This "Prize" For My Good Work
I Felt Sick, So I Did A Test For Covid. My Boss Responded With This
Dr. Gleb’s advice for employees who work for a toxic boss would be to first document instances of toxic behavior. “This can be useful if you need to bring your concerns to HR or if you decide to leave the company.”
Trying to address the behavior directly may be also a way to go. “You can try to have a conversation with your boss to express your concerns and find a solution. However, this may not always be possible or effective,” Dr. Gleb said.
In some situations, seeking support is crucial. “Talk to a trusted colleague, mentor, or friend about your situation. They can offer advice, support, and a different perspective.” In more extreme cases, Dr. Gleb argues, employees should consider leaving. “If the situation is truly toxic and your boss is not willing or able to change, it may be best for your well-being to find a new job.”
The Audacity Of The Boss
Yeah, grandpa, your timing isn't the best... I hope karma slaps this b***h hard.
The Fire Exit At My Job Has Been Blocked Like This For Months, And My Boss Threatened To Fire Me After He Saw Me Taking This Photo
After Helping Them On Short Notice Many Times, I Finally Learned That My Day Off Is My Day Off
That's lousy behavior, but Ken and Brian seem like they come from a good family.
The good news is that there is always a way to learn to be a good leader for your team, Dr. Gleb assured us. Seeking feedback is one of the first steps to take. “Ask your team for feedback on your leadership style, communication, and performance. Use this feedback to identify areas for improvement.”
Learning leadership means you also have to develop self-awareness. “Reflect on your own strengths and weaknesses as a leader. This can involve taking personality assessments, soliciting feedback from colleagues, or seeking the advice of a coach or mentor,” Dr. Gleb explained.
A 15-Year-Old Kid Was So Tired From The Workload That He Just Fell Asleep On His 10-Minute Break. After Boss Saw That, He Said: "Make Sure He Doesn't Get Paid For That"
Boss Told Me I Have To Come Into Work Because They Need Me
This does suck and I am not on the bosses side, I am asking out of curiosity. In places where this is a common thing depending on the season, are there not standard protocols or contingencies in place?
Boss Changed Her Mind Very Fast
Dr. Gleb argues that trust is critical to effective leadership. So anyone who wants to become a better leader has “to work to build trust with their team by being transparent, following through on commitments, and acknowledging your mistakes.”
A good leader needs to provide their team a clear direction. Dr. Gleb’s advice is to set clear goals and expectations for your team and communicate them effectively. “This can help your team understand their role and how their work fits into the bigger picture,” he said.
No Compassion At All
Boss Fired Me For Taking Approved Vacation Time. After That, He Denied My Unemployment. Three Weeks Later, I Got Asked To Sign A Non-Disclosure Agreement
My Boss Screwed The Only Window At Our Office Shut, So It's Impossible To Get Fresh Air
He wanted to save money by not using the heater, which we never use cause it's so hot in here anyways, so he decided to screw it shut. This can't be legal. Right?
Last but not least, a leader should never take their team for granted and should put effort into developing it. “Invest in the development of your team by providing training, mentoring, and coaching. This can help them grow their skills and improve their performance,” Dr. Gleb concluded.
My Boss Asked Me If I Could Change The Day I Put My Dog To Sleep
Again, why is it the employee's job to find coverage? Your employee asks for a day off, you find someone else to work their shift. That simple.
My Boss Actually Wrote This On My Last Check
He didn't give a 2-week notice, was very inconsiderate, and quit for no reason. Vegan who likes cancer, not meat, coward. He got free rides to work for five months. Self-centered and never amount to anything!
I Lost My Job Of 3 Years Because Of This
It's literally your boss's job to find someone to cover your shift when you're sick, wtf.
Boss Gave Me Cash And Called It A Bonus. Months Later, He Took It Out Of My Paycheck
I Walked To Work In A Thunderstorm, But My Boss Forgot To Tell Me We All Have Today Off
My Boss Told Me To At Least Try Shoveling Out And Come In Today. Red Car Is Mine. Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada
My Boss Posted This Job Description On Facebook And Then Commented On This A Week Later. I Wonder Why No One Applied
News flash Jackhammer: The government doesn't need to do that, your sh*tty demands did that all on their own!!! Smh!!!
Stop Stealing My Electricity
My Boss Shared This Without A Hint Of Irony In Our WhatsApp Group
I Told My Boss I Quit, And He's Not Going To Pay Me
At this point, you stop engaging with your boss and start engaging with your lawyer
My Partner Asked If They Would Be Getting Paid For A Mandatory Work Meeting On Their Day Off
What makes it worse is this place doesn't do holiday pay despite it being a legal requirement in the UK.
Recently Posted At Work
Wait, BM? Bow Movement? BOWEL movement? Are you joking? Had to read this three times to understand what was happening. How is this even legal?
My Boss Wouldn't Let Me Go To Turn Off My Headlights, Even Though You Could See It Through The Window That They Were On
My Coworker Had A Dispute With The Owner. This Is How The Owner Replied On The Group Chat
I Didn't Bring Lunch To Work Since My Employer Was Providing Pizzas. Two Slice Limit On Pizzas They Cut Into 16 Slices
I Make $15 An Hour
Employees Were Treated Like Middle Schoolers
The Employer Doesn't Let Workers Use The Air Conditioner As A Heat Wave Comes Rushing In
If you have to resort to this kind of thing to save money you can't afford to be running a business. I'd bet the idiot has A/C in his office.
I Am So Done With This
My requirement for management is knowing how to spell and use proper grammar.
My Boss Posted This Right After They Mandated Mandatory 6 Days And 11 Hours Work Days
My Boss Told Me To Go And Rewire An Old Electrical Cabinet At This Factory. He Didn't Tell Me That Everything Was Covered In Sewage Liquids
My Boss Texted Me In The Middle Of The Night
My Boss Called Me In Early, And Said The Line Needs To Be Cleaned Up. He Set Up The Line This Morning And Made All This Mess
My Job Involves Walking For Hours At A Time. We Also Don't Get Breaks At All. Even For 12+ Hour Shifts
No breaks? That's a labour law violation in my country. Any anonymous tip off to the proper labour board seems in order
These Meals We Got At My Job For Shifts Up To 12 Hours
The Same Thing Happened To My Friend Michael Scott When He Had Bruce Springsteen's Tickets
This Is How My Mom's Employer Shipped Her $2000 Work Laptop
I Messaged My Boss That There Was A Small Leak, And He Told Me To Put A Bucket Under It. A Few Hours Later, The Ceiling Tiles Collapsed During A Rush
Boss Called My Dr. Because I Tested Positive For Covid
If my doctor discussed any of my medical info with my boss like that without my permission I would be suing him for patient confidentiality! But once again I call fake text!
My Boss Is Physically Incapable Of Pointing Without Touching
My Boss Says It's My Responsibility To "Walk The Office" When She Steals My Things
3 Months To Know My Worth?
My Friend Almost Got Scammed
My friend went to the job interview and was told she would get a certain pay, but when she started signing the paperwork, the rate was $3.15 lower than agreed. When she questioned it, the interviewer said: "Well, you're here now, may as well take it."
I Asked For A Raise On Tuesday And Received This Text Message Yesterday Morning
In text, too? Dude. At least print it out, sign it, and hand it to your employee. Doesn't cost much to be a decent person even when you're just a douchebag.
I Am At A Loss For Words. This Is Pathetic
I would donate a day or two. But yeah, they could just... figure something out. Boss and all.
My Job Wrote Me Up For Discussing The Pay. What Should I Do?
My Boss Didn't Tell Me In Person To Come To Work On Sunday When He Had The Chance To Do So. Today I Was Awakened By This Message At 2 AM
My Employer's Plan In Case Of A Fire?
I Asked Supervisor To Add Me To The Schedule, But They Never Responded. Then They Got Mad At Me For Not Showing Up
My Boss Gave Me An 18-Hour Notice That We Will Have A Mandatory Meeting
Boss Told Me To Clean The Old Storage Room
I Got Disciplinary Action For Being Sick And Calling In
Please plan your child's illnesses and inform your employers in 10-15 business days... I'm laughing but this isn't funny at all.
My Boss Thought These Were "Perfectly Fine" Tires
I Dislocated My Shoulder Yesterday And Got 2-Week Notice From My Employer Today, Because It's Going To Take Me About A Month To Heal
Employer Treated Us To A Break Room Dinner, And This Is What He Gave Us. We Are Only Allowed To Take One
I Was In An Accident Due To California's Blizzard, Stranded Overnight In Snow, With No Phone Service
I'm Shamed For Calling Off And Isolating Myself Because Of Covid. My Supervisor Got Mad And Forced Me To Finish A Report At Home. I'm An Unpaid Intern
Do not call him, the fact that the position of an unpaid intern even exists shows a failure in humanity
We Had A Cake At The Office, And This Is How My Boss Cut It
My Employer Sent Me This
That's a pretty water bottle. Now you only have to buy a white waterproof marker and end the sentences with funny quotes like "WAKE UP LATE" "BE THANKFUL WHEN APPROPRIATE" "DON'T BE APPROACHABLE" "COMPLAIN LESSON TO BECOME BETTER AT IT" and so on. :D
Our New Manager
My Boss Didn't Tell Me That He Put Bread Rolls In The Oven Before Leaving
My Boss Texted An Assignment On My Day Off
My Boss At Work Said This When My Mom Called Me About Her Getting A Big Seizure
My Cheap Boss Made This Ceiling Fan
This Is At My Work, Near The Front Of The Store. I Asked Management If I Could Block It Off, So No Kids End Up Touching It, And They Said No
Yes, that's a metal prong in that electric socket. I really hope no one ends up in the hospital because of this.
That's a situation where you just make an executive decision, and do it without asking first.
My Boss Gave Us Gift Bags. I Don't Think They Were From This Year
To be fair, this can easily happen even to fresh chocolate if its exposed to warm temperatures. They're then still perfectly edible, they just don't look pretty anymore. You can only tell if it's old if it has a musky or stale smell or taste or by looking at the fresh by date.
When The Boss Doesn't Care
This actually needs context. Of course this would be really cheap for a company if this is actual policy. But in my experience, things like these are often done by lower level superiors or supervisors who think the company should have done something when it did not, often paid out of their own pocket to have something at all. So, other than the company, those people sometimes actually DO care about their team.
Supervisor Wanted Us To Clear Out The Back Room By Friday. We Have Another Truck On Thursday, And This Is What It Looks Like Now
This Burrito At My Job Costs $5.54, And We're Not Allowed To Leave To Get The Food
Unused Material From The Job Site. Our Boss Said That It's Cheaper, To Just Throw It All Away. This Bin Will Be Full By The End Of The Week
We Discovered That The Warehouse We Worked At Had A Heating Until Someone Left It On 60°F For One Night, And My Boss Broke The Controller
Boss Said: "Hey Can You Try To Clean Up The Wires Under The Dash?"
I Had A Personal Thing Come Up For Thursday, And My Boss Is Just Ignoring My Time Off Request
My Boss Accused Me Of Lying About An Accident That Caused Me To Be Late For Work. So I Quit. I Won't Let Anyone Speak To Me In Such A Disrespectful, Unprofessional Manner
I don’t know about this one…think there might be some back story like traffic is used as an excuse frequently. And I don’t see how the boss was “so disrespectful”, if they’re on the same road and that’s their experience. Clearing up the location of the accident shouldn’t have been such a big deal.
My Husband Was Promoted To His Former Boss's Position, And The Guy Left His Office Like This For My Husband To Move Into
This does need context. Old boss might have been a pig, or he might have been escorted off (whether guilty or innocent, the internet has thought me that anyone can be escorted off premises even without cause), or maybe boss was screwed over and this was his petty revenge, just a pity that the husband was on the receiving end
My Boss Provided Lunch Of "Italian Sausage With Peppers And Onions"
My Boss's "Inspirational" Quote On The Wall
Erm, this is absolutely, perfectly true? This is 100% fine in and on itself. Without context there's nothing bad going on here. Well, if the boss has ridiculous expectations about work ethic, that's another story, that could indeed be outrageous. But this statement, if taken as intended, is how it should be. Good work ethic should be rewarded with raises, free time and bonuses and bad work ethic should be weeded out to protect the good workers from slackers pushing their work onto the colleagues. That's how it should be
My Employer Changed Insurance Provider This Year. My ADHD Meds Used To Cost $25 A Month Last Year. Now It's Over $350
My Boss Installed A Water Dispenser Yesterday. This Morning, We Got Into The Office To This
Jackhammer Bit Broke When My Boss Was Using It For About 2 Minutes
Because it's not like your employees are human beings or anything. Good f**k on a f*****g fuckstick. (How d'you like THAT, censorbot?).
I just... What is it with people. I am guessing that posts here are mostly from USA/Canada. In Europe we have s****y managers and supervisors, but we can take day offs, have mandated vacation (in my state min is 20 work days + you have more based on education, preformance etc, max to 30 days), we have payed overtime (or get a day off) but it is nothing like this stated in this article... I think, based on alot of posts online, that work/hustle culture is sooo toxic in USA, and that when people are promoted to supervisort or higher are s**t. We have a saying here - give a person a position of power and see his true colors. Sorry for my bad english
not all people are like that. maybe after getting walked all over for years i can see people getting a backbone. but not being all f****d up to people around being sick, or people lived ones dieing. thats messed up. i had to quit during civid because were acting all stupid. self employeed now. and make pennies. :(. but the only stupid boss i have to deal with is me. Gives me no hours. lol. over 7ins of rain last 2 days. not ready to clear trees, mud slides. no pay in it for me.
Load More Replies...
At times (actually a lot of the time) I wonder how many of these are fake and posted just for likes/upvotes?
It’s always a possibility. But since that’s the case with 99% of all content of the entire internet, I tend to just assume validity most of the time. It kind of loses its whole entire point otherwise.
Load More Replies...
I didn't manage to make it through the list but I am pretty sure 98% of these are illegal. Or... Not. I honestly don't know how America works, I don't really see screenshots like this in my country. When we are sick we are sick. 🤷♀️
I think schools need to start teaching about employment laws and employee rights rather than prepping people to be submissive to this kind of bulshit.
My previous job ghosted me :). Delivered my uniform when it had been a year since last work day. Owner prefer to hire cheap work so its always a new face every month & now they struggle keeping people & few good ones they wanted to keep quit due to more work load on them(one got enough work for 4 people).
in the usa all/most jobs are like slave labor. get paid the bare min, and want you to run the store, open and close it while the manger sleep at their desk. sry cant spell for s**t. had a stroke from my last job. ran the whole store from open to close for barly nothing $$.
when i was in high school the owner wanted me to open and close the store. since the manger quit. no i have to go to school. i ended up quiting because the boss wanted to call me and start cussing me out. didnt didnt take that and left on the spot. left the new guy to work. maybe he was there 2 days lol.
Load More Replies...
Did anyone here take a sick day in the 90’s or 2000’s? My boss cared so much that he would call me at home several times just to check in on me. What a great guy!
Reminds me of a guy I know that drove for a company, the vehicle they supplied was 'problematic' with electrical and mechanical issues. They got rid of him saying he wasn't doing the job after the vehicle kept failing so he COULDN'T do his job.
Ugh. It really sucks that so many bosses/companies are like this. It sucks that these ruthless, uncaring, delusional, narcissistic, even psychopathic àsswads are the ones who run out companies, and indeed our world. Scum always rises to the top of the pond. I say it's time we skin some of it off, and flush it down the toilet, where it belongs!!
One of my best previous bosses did something I still haven't forgiven: Cancelled my previously approved TO on my birthday weekend in favor of giving time off to my supervisor. I was supposed to go see my favorite band play live for the first (and likely only time, as the band is from another country). Over a decade later, and that band has not come back to this area. Lost out on the tickets, the hotel reservations, etc.
Join a union, let the douchebag know you have military friends who will rearrange him if he is a asshat to you
When my dad passed away back in 09 I was working for a will writing company at the time not exactly the best type of job in that situation. The owner was super chill and personally called me and told me to take as much time as I needed. The manager was f****n prick about it though and after the first week (hadn't even had the funeral) was bombarding me with calls about, "how much longer would you need off?" "When do you think you're gonna be back?" "If you're not back in the next week there may be disciplinary action." "How long does it really take to get over the death of your father?" Okay so he didn't actually say that last bit but he might as well have done. I was getting sick of it and it was having some major impacts on my already impaired mental health. Ended up contacting the owner and lodging a formal complaint about the manager harassing me daily about going back, owner said he'd look into it. Turned out the manager hadn't even been going into the office and everything was a complete s**t show. (Not because I wasn't there or anything, I was only 19 and a nobody). As much as I appreciated the owner and how chill he was I never ended up going back. Found out a few months later that the manager was sacked after losing the original copy of someone's will... Twice.
Because it's not like your employees are human beings or anything. Good f**k on a f*****g fuckstick. (How d'you like THAT, censorbot?).
I just... What is it with people. I am guessing that posts here are mostly from USA/Canada. In Europe we have s****y managers and supervisors, but we can take day offs, have mandated vacation (in my state min is 20 work days + you have more based on education, preformance etc, max to 30 days), we have payed overtime (or get a day off) but it is nothing like this stated in this article... I think, based on alot of posts online, that work/hustle culture is sooo toxic in USA, and that when people are promoted to supervisort or higher are s**t. We have a saying here - give a person a position of power and see his true colors. Sorry for my bad english
not all people are like that. maybe after getting walked all over for years i can see people getting a backbone. but not being all f****d up to people around being sick, or people lived ones dieing. thats messed up. i had to quit during civid because were acting all stupid. self employeed now. and make pennies. :(. but the only stupid boss i have to deal with is me. Gives me no hours. lol. over 7ins of rain last 2 days. not ready to clear trees, mud slides. no pay in it for me.
Load More Replies... At times (actually a lot of the time) I wonder how many of these are fake and posted just for likes/upvotes?
It’s always a possibility. But since that’s the case with 99% of all content of the entire internet, I tend to just assume validity most of the time. It kind of loses its whole entire point otherwise.
Load More Replies... I didn't manage to make it through the list but I am pretty sure 98% of these are illegal. Or... Not. I honestly don't know how America works, I don't really see screenshots like this in my country. When we are sick we are sick. 🤷♀️
I think schools need to start teaching about employment laws and employee rights rather than prepping people to be submissive to this kind of bulshit.
My previous job ghosted me :). Delivered my uniform when it had been a year since last work day. Owner prefer to hire cheap work so its always a new face every month & now they struggle keeping people & few good ones they wanted to keep quit due to more work load on them(one got enough work for 4 people).
in the usa all/most jobs are like slave labor. get paid the bare min, and want you to run the store, open and close it while the manger sleep at their desk. sry cant spell for s**t. had a stroke from my last job. ran the whole store from open to close for barly nothing $$.
when i was in high school the owner wanted me to open and close the store. since the manger quit. no i have to go to school. i ended up quiting because the boss wanted to call me and start cussing me out. didnt didnt take that and left on the spot. left the new guy to work. maybe he was there 2 days lol.
Load More Replies... Did anyone here take a sick day in the 90’s or 2000’s? My boss cared so much that he would call me at home several times just to check in on me. What a great guy!
Reminds me of a guy I know that drove for a company, the vehicle they supplied was 'problematic' with electrical and mechanical issues. They got rid of him saying he wasn't doing the job after the vehicle kept failing so he COULDN'T do his job.
Ugh. It really sucks that so many bosses/companies are like this. It sucks that these ruthless, uncaring, delusional, narcissistic, even psychopathic àsswads are the ones who run out companies, and indeed our world. Scum always rises to the top of the pond. I say it's time we skin some of it off, and flush it down the toilet, where it belongs!!
One of my best previous bosses did something I still haven't forgiven: Cancelled my previously approved TO on my birthday weekend in favor of giving time off to my supervisor. I was supposed to go see my favorite band play live for the first (and likely only time, as the band is from another country). Over a decade later, and that band has not come back to this area. Lost out on the tickets, the hotel reservations, etc.
Join a union, let the douchebag know you have military friends who will rearrange him if he is a asshat to you
When my dad passed away back in 09 I was working for a will writing company at the time not exactly the best type of job in that situation. The owner was super chill and personally called me and told me to take as much time as I needed. The manager was f****n prick about it though and after the first week (hadn't even had the funeral) was bombarding me with calls about, "how much longer would you need off?" "When do you think you're gonna be back?" "If you're not back in the next week there may be disciplinary action." "How long does it really take to get over the death of your father?" Okay so he didn't actually say that last bit but he might as well have done. I was getting sick of it and it was having some major impacts on my already impaired mental health. Ended up contacting the owner and lodging a formal complaint about the manager harassing me daily about going back, owner said he'd look into it. Turned out the manager hadn't even been going into the office and everything was a complete s**t show. (Not because I wasn't there or anything, I was only 19 and a nobody). As much as I appreciated the owner and how chill he was I never ended up going back. Found out a few months later that the manager was sacked after losing the original copy of someone's will... Twice.
