Most of us will eventually encounter the Terror Boss.
The Terror boss is that direct superior who shreds a subordinate’s self-esteem. He or she:
- Yells at you, with expletives and words not acceptable for children below 18 years old;
- Finds faults, never praises, never has anything good to say about you;
- Assigns lots of work that require overtime beyond the laws of physics;
- Criticizes you and your work in front of the whole office;
- Takes credit for any good results arising from your work;
- Tells you that you don’t deserve a promotion or raise but should be thankful you still have a job;
- Disapproves requests for off-site training;
- Doesn’t allow you to reimburse your expenses for official business meetings;
- Calls you about work when you’re at home or on vacation;
- Accuses you of stealing when something goes missing;
- Says you’re lazy;
- Orders you to do personal errands such as shopping at the drug store and delivering the stuff to his or her residence;
- Blames you for his or her wrong decisions;
- Does everything possible to make you feel worthless.
One would eventually have a Terror Boss. How we respond will determine what we become.
Ellery's Essays 