30 Things You Do That Make You a Terrible Boss

BY - Samantha
June 22, 2020
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Meeting with the boss. — Photo by Photographee.eu – Shutterstock.com

Let’s get one thing out of the way. We don’t think anyone would want to be a horrible boss, but we do think there are people out there that set up certain rules or have certain standards which, in time, can lead them down a very dark path.
Well, maybe not for them, but it would certainly be a miserable time for their employees!
It’s time to review some of the things you may do at work, though we sincerely hope that most of these don’t resonate with you. If they do, then it’s probably time to rethink the way you approach your work life. It’s never too late to make personal or professional improvements!
Actually, if you’ve stumbled upon this by googling ‘am I a terrible boss?’ then we think you’re already on the ‘road to recovery’, so to speak.
So let’s get into it. Here are 31 signs that you might be a dreadful boss.

A confused employee looking at a blank whiteboard while their boss walks away in the background. — A pensive leader stares at a blank whiteboard as an employee departs, leaving the team without a clear roadmap.

1. You Give Your Subordinates Little to No Guidance

If you do this you may be the type of boss that expects your workers to execute commands without question. Do you think this is a sign of loyalty? Perhaps for some people, it is… Truth is, though, that most employees need and want more guidance no matter what project you throw their way.
If your decisions come up in the spur of the moment, rest assured that your team is not as excited about those light bulb moments as you are.
Try to focus on long term planning which will inevitably offer your employees a bit more structure in their daily operations.

Close-up of a watch with a blurred image of an employee waiting outside a closed office door. — A luxury watch ticks forward while a dejected man sits outside a closed office, illustrating the cost of avoidance.

2. You Deliberately Skip Performance Reviews

If you think performance reviews are a waste of time for you or your employees, we’ve got bad news for you. If you keep putting them off by a few months your team might be glad when HR finally forces your hand…
But then you go and do another blunder. You don’t give them any constructive information!
This is a bad boss move, as workers generally want to know what they should improve and how. Remember, you might think that there’s no point in them and that your employees are better off focusing on their tasks, but the truth is that performance reviews can be extremely motivational for some people, especially if they’ve worked hard!

A boss leaning over an employee's desk in an aggressive, intimidating posture. — A man in a suit looms over a hunched worker at a desk, capturing the intimidation of workplace bullying.

3. You Like to Bully Your Workforce

If you bully the people under you plenty of things could happen. Firstly you might encourage a toxic working environment which will cause others to bully their coworkers, following your lead.
Secondly, those who won’t follow your example will end up losing respect for you. They might think you’re jealous of a subordinate.
Plenty of bosses want to take people down a peg or two in order to put them in their place, likely because of some generational gap. Remember, such tactics will only make work dreadful for those around you. Try to foster a friendlier work environment instead!

A boss adjusting his tie in a mirror while his team works hard in the background reflection. — A professional adjusts their tie in the mirror, overlooking an exhausted team working tirelessly in the background reflection.

4. You Care More About Your Own Promotion Than Your Team’s Efforts

Playing office politics can seriously harm your team’s output. If you’re an absent boss that would rather focus on getting another promotion then that means your employees will be left to fend for themselves. Remember, an unfocused team could lead to greater and greater losses over time.
And don’t even think about saying ‘but that’s why I have people working for me!’
You’re a leader, and if you can’t lead your current team then how do you think you’re going to handle the next one, and the next one, and the next one as you climb the ladder. Brown-nosing can only take you so far. You also have to show off your leadership skills in order to get ahead.

A boss taking credit for a presentation while the actual creator watches from the side. — A presenter basks in the team’s applause while a dejected colleague watches from the shadows, feeling her work was stolen.

5. You Take Credit for Other People’s Work

No, no, no!
Just because someone works for you does not mean that what is theirs is yours. You can’t just steal someone else’s ideas and expect them to be OK with it.
Some employees might be too scared or shy to speak up, but just because they’re quiet doesn’t mean they approve of what you’ve done. Oh, and if you somehow managed to get away with this by doing it behind their backs you should expect major fallout if and when they find out about your shady tactics.

A row of employees working in a rigid, overly structured office environment. — A row of disciplined professionals sits in perfect symmetry, embodying the absolute order and precision of a tight ship.

6. You Prefer Running a Tight Ship

If you’re the type of boss that hates it when your teammates bask in their success then you’re probably the type of person that likes putting them down.
How often do you publicly shame your employees when they make mistakes, big or small? Bad managers ensure that everyone is well aware of every blunder so that they’ll get the message.
‘Don’t screw up or you’re next!’
Do you know what kind of thing this sort of intimidation leads to? Your team will be less likely to come to you if they have any questions which will in turn lead to more mistakes, all of which you could have avoided with just a little more compassion!

A defensive boss with arms crossed, refusing to look at a document presented by colleagues. — A man sits detached with crossed arms while colleagues review documents, embodying the isolation of someone who is never wrong.

7. You’ve Never Been Wrong About Anything

Even if you’ve been in the industry all your life you have to accept the fact that nobody is perfect, not even you. That’s because improvements and cleverer ways to deal with issues spring up on the daily. Hey, you might have missed some yourself!
But if you think you’re never wrong then you probably berate your employees when they try to point out when something is wrong. All this will lead to is a stagnant workforce that will lack innovation.

A modern office with several empty, cleared-out desks and one remaining employee. — A solitary worker sits at a laptop among endless empty desks, illustrating the lonely impact of constant team turnover.

8. There’s Constant Turnover in Your Group

Even the people that have only just started working know that a high turnover rate is not a good sign for a company or a department.
Do you think new people will come with new perspectives? Do you consider that those who left your team weren’t up to the challenge? Do you think it takes special people to be able to work under your supervision?
If you answered yes then your department has a big problem. First off, you’re not building loyalty with any of your employees, so they probably won’t feel motivated enough to come up with new and exciting ideas. Secondly, you’re probably making everyone question their job stability so they’ve got one foot out the door already!
Either way, you’ll be losing a lot of good people along the way and you’ve got nobody to blame but yourself.

A boss pointing blame at a stressed employee during a corporate meeting. — A stern executive points an accusing finger at a nervous, disheveled colleague during a high-stakes meeting in a boardroom.

9. You Have a Fall Gal or Fall Guy

If something goes wrong and you already know who to blame without even looking at the issue it means you’ve already picked a fall gal or a gall guy.
No matter what they do, you always find a way to call them out even if they were minimally involved in the project at hand. Worse, if you think they should have paid more attention it puts undue pressure on them.
Here’s a thought! If you want this person to supervise projects in order for them to turn out right, why not just promote them to that position?!

Close-up of a boss's hand hovering over an employee's hand on a computer mouse. — A hand in a suit hovers over an employee’s mouse, perfectly illustrating the intrusive and overbearing nature of micromanagement.

10. You’re the King or Queen of Micromanaging

You might fully believe that your micromanaging capabilities are what got you to where you’re standing. If you always fall back on the fact that you’re detail-oriented then you should know that what other people hear is that you’re a constant nag.
No employee likes a boss that’s breathing down their neck or ominously hovering over their shoulder. It doesn’t prove that you’re good at your job at all! It just proves you don’t trust them.
The majority of employers think the exact opposite too, that micromanaging bosses aren’t good enough at their jobs so they have to check in every half an hour to compensate.

Reflection of a boss shouting in a glass office wall, with employees reacting outside. — An angry businessman shouts at his colleagues, who cover their ears in distress within a high-pressure office environment.

11. You’ve Raised Your Voice More Than Once in the Past Month

Did you know that most bosses who raise their voices claim that this is how they grew up and that it’s just natural when taking control of a situation?
Some employees might even call you abusive behind your back. Is that the sort of badge of honor you want to unknowingly carry around?
If you raise your voice then it’s probably because you want to get your point across. But everyone would prefer it and would respect you more if you actually explained everything in a calm, professional manner instead.

A boss talking to an employee while hiding crossed fingers behind their back. — Two professionals in suits cross their fingers behind their backs, revealing the hidden deception within a corporate office environment.

12. You Lie

Some bosses lie outright and have no problem admitting this to themselves. Other bosses claim these are just little white lies that don’t hurt anyone.
They not only hurt your team, but they will also tarnish your reputation when the truth comes out. Everyone around you will immediately start second-guessing everything you say. Not very pleasant, is it?
It’s better to be upfront, especially when it comes to making mistakes. Everyone appreciates managers who can own up to something they’ve done wrong so there’s really no use for a cover-up!

A boss laughing excessively with a senior executive while ignoring their own team. — A man laughs boisterously at an older colleague’s joke in a formal room, clearly working hard to win favor.

13. You Excel at Sucking Up

Here we’re talking about those managers that overly compliment both those above and those below them.
If you’re constantly trying to rub shoulders with people higher in rank, your subordinates will see this as desperation, as will the very same people you’re trying to impress.
Bosses who back-slap those under them can come off as cringy and insecure, especially if their compliments are way off base. Nothing wrong with congratulating them on the work they do and some of their personal achievements, but doing so on the regular can make the workspace a tad bit uncomfortable.

A boss relaxing with a magazine while urgent work folders pile up on the desk. — A businessman kicks back with a travel magazine, ignoring urgent files to signal that he is officially checking out.

14. You Check Out Regularly and You Make Sure People Know

Traveling for work is something a lot of workers would love to do, so rubbing your traveling opportunities in their faces constantly is a bad and unprofessional move. Mentioning a few things that you’ve seen or done while away is not necessarily a bad thing, but don’t brag about all the amazing opportunities they’ve missed.
Furthermore, if you prioritize having fun while you’re away it means that your team will be left to work alone. During these periods, their stress levels may rise, and wouldn’t you want to help them out rather than remind them of what great of a life you’re living?

A boss looking indecisive between two folders on a desk with a clock in the background. — A worried professional stares at two project folders, paralyzed by indecision as the office clock continues to tick away.

15. You’d Rather Defer Than Make a Decision

Imagine you’re a hardworking employee and you’re just about ready to submit your latest task. Now imagine that your boss, for the umpteenth time, cannot make up their mind.
Pretty infuriating, right? Your employees have worked hard on their tasks and they most certainly will feel ignored and put down if you keep deferring. You’re the boss! If you need to make a decision, make it!
But perhaps you feel insecure. If that’s the case, don’t be scared to ask for input from both your team and your higher-ups!

A boss looking stressed and overwhelmed in a dark office late at night. — A man in a suit sits at a desk, head in hands, as a glowing phone highlights the weight of personal turmoil.

16. You’ve Got Turmoil in Your Personal Life

You may think you’ve got everything under wraps, but it’s blindingly obvious to most employees when bosses are having troubles at home. Most people, when they are in a position of authority, don’t work so hard in hiding this from those underneath them because, really, what are they gonna do about it?
You have to start seriously addressing your issues otherwise your work life will suffer just as much.
Plus, just as you shouldn’t be taking your work at home, you shouldn’t be taking your problems into the office.

A boss giving a technical task to the wrong employee in a busy office. — A manager hands a massive manual to a confused employee, showing how misjudging someone’s strengths leads to workplace misalignment.

17. You’re Bad at Figuring Out Someone’s Strengths or Weaknesses

Remember when we mentioned avoiding performance reviews? Do you push them off to the last second because you’re actually incapable of telling anything they might want to hear?
If you’re having a hard time remembering someone’s name then knowing what sort of feedback you should give them is out of the question. It gets worse if you can’t even recall what they’ve worked on or what part of the project they’ve had to deal with.
Remember, the people you’re working with are just that- people. It’s your responsibility to tell them apart!

A boss looking annoyed in the foreground while an employee is celebrated in the background. — A disgruntled man scowls with crossed arms while his coworker is celebrated for winning Employee of the Month.

18. You Don’t Like Being Outshined

Hate being outshined. — Photo by Patrizia Tilly – Shutterstock.com

Don’t go out of your way to hire C players just to avoid being outshined. If you lack confidence in yourself and prefer to surround yourself with workers that won’t impress your bosses then your team is probably functioning at a loss.
You probably do this so that your workers won’t even notice you’re probably unfit for the position you’re in, so instead of working harder on yourself you decide to bring down the rest of the team in order to make up for it.

A close-up of a boss speaking, emphasizing self-centered language. — A businessman speaks into a conference phone, while a speech bubble with the letter I emphasizes a self-centered communication style.

19. You Always Say “I” And Never “We”

This is another common occurrence between bad bosses. They think that saying “I” is the same as saying “we” since the team is yours and, ultimately, you’re the one leading them and the company to the path of success.
By doing so you’re basically erasing everyone else’s accomplishments. We guarantee that people will be working with a lot less enthusiasm. Another thing we guarantee? We know that the type of boss who does this is also the sort of person that will point out individual blame.
So which way is it? Is it “I” only when your employees succeed and “you” when they fail?

A boss's hand crossing out a name on a document with a red pen. — A hand uses a red marker to strike through a name on a promotion list, showcasing a cold, vindictive act.

20. You’re Vindictive

Bosses who hold long grudges will be remembered for it and you don’t want that to be the first thing people think of when they hear your name. You might think you’re sending them a message not to mess with you by being vindictive, but great bosses know how to win someone over by helping them and empowering them.
Other bosses are vindictive because they really want to send a message home. If someone makes a mistake and they’re proven to be wrong you don’t discuss it, you instead chose to really turn the knife in the wound.
Seriously, it’s not a good look. Your employees will be scared to speak up around you so you might miss important details by alienating them.

A boss shrugging at a poor quality report while a coworker looks frustrated. — A man shrugs over a crumpled error report while a frustrated colleague watches, illustrating the cost of low standards.

21. You Tolerate Bad Work

If you have people that have been working with you for a while despite underperforming, oftentimes severely, then you should know that’s a big problem!
You might think that having loyal, long term employees is better than building up an effective team. But that just means you’re playing favorites and you would rather your company fail than to let your ‘friends’ down.
If you want to keep these people on board then you have to at least correct their mistakes, and we don’t mean sending off newer members of the team to do it. You should probably retrain them, but if even then you let mistakes slide and they can’t get better at their jobs then it’s time for them to work elsewhere.

A boss locking a folder in a drawer as an employee approaches. — A man locks a desk drawer full of files while a concerned employee watches, creating an atmosphere of workplace distrust.

22. You Deliberately Keep Information From Your Employees

Keeping information from some members on your team will only result in a big chasm. Again, this is plain and simple favoritism.
If you operate on a need to know basis then you best believe that those who aren’t in the loop will underperform. Is that something you want?
Remember, you’re not running the Department of Defense and you should encourage everyone to work together and support each other with their individual skillsets. Otherwise, you’ll just breed resentment in your workspace.

An empty executive office with a golf club, while the team works hard outside. — An empty desk and golf club highlight a quiet retreat from the office while colleagues continue to work behind glass.

23. You’re Working Less and Less

When a boss takes on fewer responsibilities it’s the team’s job to pick up the slack. Most bosses that do that think of everyone else as worker bees, yet that can be fatal to a company.
First of all, you should engage in daily operations to ensure that what needs to be done gets done properly. Without you, your employees will lose focus and will likely start to feel as though their work is redundant. Plus, nobody likes to feel like they’re working for someone who thinks they’re above it all.
Secondly, you may lose touch with your operations. A good boss finds improvements by paying attention to what’s going on in the office. If enough time passes and you forget how to do a certain task, how is anyone supposed to come to you for help?

A boss celebrating a chart while ignoring an exhausted employee. — A manager points to rising growth charts late at night while a stressed employee sits with head in hands.

24. You Care About Results More Than Other People’s Careers

Great mentors ensure that those under their wings go off to become great managers themselves. If you’re stopping someone’s career in its track because they have a good track record and you’d rather keep them on the team then you’re actively sabotaging them.
If you think your employees are happy to be doing whatever they’re doing without moving up the ladder then you’re just lying to yourself. Though they may be happy to do their jobs and do so with a smile on their face, nobody wants to get stuck.

A boss leaving the office at night while the team continues to work late. — Exhausted staff toil at glowing monitors late into the night as a manager enters the cold and uninspiring office space.

25. You Make Your People Work Insane Hours and Never Inspire Them in Any Way

Do you often ‘inspire’ your employees to work insane hours and extra shifts by threatening to fire them if they don’t? Then you’re certainly unpleasant to work with.
You have to understand that employees are people first, no matter what anyone else says. They should be able to recharge their batteries and take some time off. After all, they’re not drones.
If you’re genuinely worried about losing money if they don’t work the solution is to hire more people, not terrorize those already on the team.

A double-exposure image showing two different moods of the same boss. — A professional man exhibits dramatic mood swings, shifting from a cheerful smile to a cold, intense stare in an instant.

26. You Change Moods Like You Change Your Clothes

If people seem skittish around you all the time then it’s probably because you’ve put them on edge with your behavior. You’re a friendly boss one moment and a raging bull the next.
That doesn’t sit well with people so even when you’re happy, they’ll be afraid that something will set you off, especially if you’ve publicly berated someone for a mistake.
We suggest working on your temper otherwise your team will no longer trust you and are likely to hope they’ll be free from your mercurial personality

A boss looking incompetent with office tasks while employees whisper in the background. — A man looks bewildered while struggling with a printer as colleagues whisper behind him, questioning his professional competence.

27. You Make People Wonder About How You Got Your Job

A good boss should never ever hide how they got their job. In some cases, you might be afraid of someone else being accused of nepotism, which is not OK, but we think your team should still be in the loop otherwise, they’ll come up with crazier and crazier explanations.
Why are you being so secretive? If you indeed climbed up the ladder fair and square and you’re still refusing to talk about it it’ll make your team think you’ve done something shady- something they should know better about copying.
Worst-case scenario they’ll just think you haven’t truly earned your stripes so they’ll start disrespecting your authority. Maybe not to your face, but in the back of their minds they’ll know better not to take you too seriously.

Dusty leadership books on a shelf with a boss reading a magazine in the foreground. — A man reads a sports magazine while leadership books gather dust on a shelf, neglected in favor of casual reading.

28. You’ve Never Read Anything About Becoming a Better Boss

Self help book. — Photo by Castleski – Shutterstock.com

True, some things you learn through experience and through careful observation, but at some point in your career, you need some outside perspective. If you just copy what Sarah from the other department does, you’re not really innovating, are you?
Do you think self help books and articles are a bunch of mumbo-jumbo? Then it means you’re probably not open to new ideas and perspectives. You may have a lot more to learn by just listening to people from different backgrounds with different voices.
This is much more important if you have a diverse team on your hand! You want to gain experience in that case, and if you can’t even spare some time to read a book then you’re doing a disservice to the people that work for you.

A boss taking a report from an employee without looking up or acknowledging them. — A distracted professional reaches for a book while staring at her phone, failing to offer a simple thank you.

29. You Never Say Thanks

We’ve found that bosses who never say thanks tend to copy other jerk bosses- often highly successful ones that think they can get away with anything because they’re rich and well connected.
What, you think you’re going to be the next Steve Jobs?
Think about it another way. Do you want your employees to go home and moan about your attitude to their friends and family or would you rather they claim they want to become just like you?
If it’s the former then with every thanks you fail to give, you’ll be burning bridges.

A boss and employee separated by a glass partition, symbolizing a lack of empathy. — Two people sit divided by a glass partition in a dark office, reflecting the disconnect when perspectives fail to align.

30. You Just Don’t Understand Where People Are Coming From

If you’ve heard someone complain about you and you simply can’t wrap your head around why then it’s simple… it’s because you’re not listening. Has it happened more than once? Then they’re not the problem, you are!
Additionally, bosses who make up excuses and explain how other people are wrong are just the worst. You may feel compelled to protect your character but all you’re doing is digging yourself deeper.
Just listen, take constructive criticism, ask for how you can improve and, most importantly of all, make people hold you accountable for your actions!
Look, nobody said that being a good mentor is easy business, but being a terrible boss has got to be exhausting! Most people like managers who are friendly, focused but also laid back and trusting.
Want to know how you can improve? Here are 7 Ways to Ensure You’ll Be Everyone’s Favorite Boss!