Think you’re cleverer than your boss? Then you’re in with most workers. A survey by Investors in People a couple of years ago indicated that 52 percent of us think our managers are poor decision makers or just plain incompetent. Even the more understanding responses said that bosses were ill trained or under confident. So why do we have such a poor view of our bosses?
It might sound a bit of a cliché but many a PA will raise a wry smile when asked to describe the organisational skills of their bosses. While most are employed to manage diaries and field phone calls, they are often required to become involved in an organisational capacity ‘above and beyond the call of duty’. Whether it’s re-arranging an impossible meeting schedule that their boss inadvertently blundered into or ensuring that a key document is included in their preparation for an overseas visit, many admin staff have found themselves rolling their eyes over their bosses incompetence.
However, while your boss may be disorganised, their unplanned ways may signal a ‘big picture thinker’. The Myers Briggs personality type indicator (MBTI) suggests that people who are good strategically and thinking long term are often bad at details. Whereas those who are adept at dotting the I’s and crossing the T’s may fare less overall when asked to plan on a large scale.
The best news is that these two types compliment each other. So while you boss’s inability to organise a meeting or spell check a document may seem frustrating, it simply reflects his or her different working style and more importantly how much he or she needs you around.