David Letterman's "Stupid Pet Tricks" could never top those of some bosses in the workplace. Smart bosses learn that life is easier and results better when they respect and take care of their employees. Stupid bosses usually start by making dumb assumptions -- like the 10 that follow here:
1. "I'm smarter than the people who report to me." Titles don't confer intelligence, just authority. Smart leaders understand that experienced employees usually know what works and what doesn't. Bosses can avoid a lot of dumb mistakes just by getting input from employees who have been around for a while.
2. "I can delegate responsibility for final results." Smart bosses delegate work to their employees, not responsibility. The buck still stops at the boss's desk; he's the one who's responsible for the final result.
3. "My employees don't know what's going on." It's amazing how quickly bosses forget what they knew before they got promoted: namely that the grapevine is usually right, and the boss is the last one to find out.
4. "I can keep secrets from my staff." The real secret in business is that there are no secrets. Employees are pretty good at connecting the dots; it's foolish to try to hide things from them.
5. "I'm entitled to special perks." Certain privileges come with authority, but that doesn't mean that the boss -- as a person -- is special and automatically entitled to them. Even privileges that come with the job should be earned by superior performance. Smart bosses make a point of not flaunting their privileges. On the contrary, they use them sparingly and, more often than not, will choose to receive the same treatment as the troops.
6. "I can get away with abusive behavior." Being the boss doesn't entitle a person to use abusive language, adopt undue familiarity, or mistreat anyone. Smart bosses respect the dignity and the feelings of all employees -- no matter how far down the totem pole they may be.
7. "No one will notice my dumb moves" People may not always notice the smart things a boss does, but they always notice the dumb ones -- and are sure to comment on them. Smart bosses know when they've done something wrong and are not afraid to admit it openly. A little vulnerability makes bosses more like the rest of us.
8. "I can get away with sloppy work." Most employees are proud of the quality of their work and resent people who knowingly generate shoddy work. When bosses produce inferior work they lose the respect of their employees.
9. "I don't have to work as hard as my subordinates."
Smart bosses know that they must lead by example. If anything, the boss should work harder and smarter. Proud employees will often make up for the boss's shortcomings -- but not for long.
10. "No one knows I'm insecure." Most cruel acts by dumb bosses are directly related to their feelings of insecurity. Employees know that smart bosses don't bolster their egos at the expense of others.
By Mike Wynne, president of IMCA-International Management Consulting Associates, has spoken on management and marketing topics to audiences in 19 countries. Call (630) 420-2605, or e-mail
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