What's worse? A boss who has ALWAYS sucked, or one who has slowly become an asshole?

[Peppergirl]

I really, REALLY used to like mine. But slowly, steadily - I've seen the decline.

I worked an 18 hour day Sunday. One of our 3rd shift people called out sick and we were way too busy for the remaining one to deal with it by herself.

My immediate supervisor sent out an email, telling our boss that I volunteered to stay till 2am (I had started at 8a that day) and thanked me for it.

I probably could have lived with the fact that she didn't reply and thank me, nor did she even bother to acknowledge it. Mondays are really busy for her. I was annoyed, but was able to pretty much shrug it off.

Until.....


She found the time (the same day) to point out a minor mistake I had made on a record during this 18 hour day. She didn't have the time to thank her employee for pulling an ungodly shift, but she certainly found the time to question said employee about something relatively minor and easily corrected.

The email got promptly deleted. If I had responded, it would not have been pretty.

So to me, I'd rather have a boss that's *always* been an asshole, rather than one like mine - who started off pretty cool, but has slowly and steadily slipped to the dark side. If a boss has *always* been an asshole, at least I know where I stand and can have my guard up. It hurts a little to see (what I thought was) a good one slip away.

Anyone else have 'always an asshole' -vs- 'new asshole' manager stories to tell?

[blas87]

I'd rather have a boss that's always been an asshole, instead of one that just started getting progressively worse.

At least you know what to expect from someone who is always a complete tool.

[jackfaire]

One that always is because yeah you do know what to expect but with the one that was nice once who knows how bad it's going to get.

[Mr Slugger]

I'd rather have a boss that's always been an asshole rather than become one. The way I see it to some extent is that if the boss gradually becomes an asshole that maybe there's a issue that we are unaware of. I know I worked for two bosses that when the ship was starting to sink they became assholes because they were trying everything to save the business. As well like with me currently I've become more of an ass because I'm feeling like I'm getting screwed over at the other stores, and my store is starting to slide, and it doesn't make me happy because now I'm making less money for more and more work. And if I call it quits everyone in my store is losing their job.

[EricKei]

Mine would be one that started out reasonably cool and began sliding down the slippery slope after a while. The top of the slope was that day that he told me (literally) "I don't pay you to think!" when a had a question about how we were doing something (minor enough that I don't recall what it was; I work as top-tier tech support/midrange IT person...so yeah, He damn well DOES pay me to think). He eventually started violating our contract in terms of my compensation (this is a guy who LIVES by contracts and acts surprised when people he's driven away from the firm break theirs)...Then he progressed into overt violations of labor law.

Yes, I've been seeking legal council about this even as I search for alternative employment...So it's best that I not go into any real detail beyond the general stuff above.

[protege]

My boss has always been an asshole--I've posted about him many times on CS over the years. But, lately, he's becoming even more of an asshole. Lately, he's become a bit erratic--the smallest little things will set him off. Problem is, we never know what he's going to act like.

For example, on Friday, he jumped all over me...over something that happened on Monday. Something, that was so minor...was it really worth getting chewed out over both on Monday, and again on Friday? What had happened, is that he'd given me some data to put into a report. I did what I was told, and didn't realize that *he* screwed up some of the data. Rather than admit a mistake, he blamed me for it.

Then there's the whole thing of either not listening, or not remembering things. When that happens, we get blamed for "not telling him." Never mind that the details of the conversation are in the database...and usually scribbled down on his desk blotter. Not really worth pointing that out, since it pisses him off since we "made him look bad."

With things like that, it's no wonder that most of his employees don't like him!

[jackfaire]

My boss did the opposite. She was a pain now this year suddenly she is being cool.

[kiwi]

I would rather have a boss who was an arsehole to start with so I could start looking for another job pronto. The older I get the less BS I am prepared to put up with.