Bad bosses contaminate the workplace. Some do so obliviously, while others smugly manipulate their employees, using them as instruments of their own success. Regardless of their methods, bad bosses cause irrevocable damage to their companies and employees by hindering performance and creating unnecessary stress. Multiple studies have found that working for a bad boss increases the chance of having a heart attack by as much as 50%.
渣老板污染了我们的工作环境。有些人明目张胆地利用雇员,其他的自以为是地操纵员工,将他们视为帮助自己获得成功的工具。不管方式如何,坏老板们都因为阻碍员工的表现和制造不必要的压力而给公司和职员造成了不可挽回的伤害。多项研究发现,为一名坏老板工作会增加心脏病发作高达50%的机率。

Even more troubling is the number of bad bosses out there. Gallup research found that 60% of government workers are miserable because of bad bosses. In another study 69% of US workers compared bosses with too much power to toddlers with too much power. The comparisons don’t stop there. Significant percentages of US workers describe their bosses as follows:
Self-oriented (60%)
Stubborn (49%) 
Overly demanding (43%)
Impulsive (41%)
Interruptive (39%)
更令人不安的是坏老板存在的数量。盖洛普民意测验中心的研究发现,60%的政府工作人员因为上司不好而苦不堪言。在另一项研究中,69%的美国工人将拥有太多权力的老板比作掌权过多的幼童。
比较并不止于此。大比例的美国员工将他们的老板描述如下:
以自我为中心(60%)
顽固不化(49%)
要求过高(43%)
冲动(41%)
干扰性强(39%)
 
Most bosses aren’t surprised by these statistics. A DDI study found that 64% of managers admit that they need to work on their management skills. When asked where they should focus their efforts, managers overwhelmingly say, “Bringing in the numbers”; yet, they are most often fired for poor people skills.
大多数老板对这些统计数据并不惊讶。美国智睿咨询有限公司研究发现,64%的经理人承认他们需要改善他们的管理技能。当被问及他们应该把重点放在哪里时,压倒性的回答是:“引进人才”,但是,他们被解雇的原因通常为差劲的人际技能。
 
TalentSmart has conducted research with more than a million people, and we’ve found that 90% of top performers are skilled at managing their emotions in times of stress in order to remain calm and in control. One of their greatest gifts is the ability to neutralize toxic people—even those they report to. This is no easy task. It requires a great deal of emotional intelligence, a skill that top performers rely on.
TalentSmart对一百多万人进行研究,发现90%表现最好的人在面对压力时善于调节自己的情绪,能够保持镇定,控制自如。他们最大的天赋之一就是能够化解这些“有毒”的人——甚至是那些自己需要报告的对象(老板)。这不是一件容易的事,它需要大量的情感智力,但却是一项一个好的职场人能够依赖的技能。
 
While the best option when you have a bad boss is to seek other employment, this isn’t always possible. Successful people know how to make the most of a bad situation. A bad boss doesn’t deter them because they understand that success is simply the product of how well you can play the hand you’ve been dealt. When that “hand” is a bad boss, successful people identify the type of bad boss they are working for and then use this information to neutralize their boss’ behavior. What follows are seven of the most common types of bad bosses and the strategies that successful people employ to work effectively with them.
当你有一个坏老板时,最佳的选择是寻找其他的工作,但这并不总是可能的。成功的人知道如何充分利用恶劣的情况。一个坏的老板并不会阻碍他们得发展,因为他们明白,成功与否依仗于你如何利用好手头的资源。当这个资源是一个“渣”老板时,那些成功的职场人会先确定他们为之效力的老板属于哪种类型,然后利用这些信息来化解老板的行为。以下是七大最常见的“渣”老板类型,以及职场成功人士有效应对他们的策略。
 
1. The Inappropriate Buddy
1.不适当的兄弟

This is the boss who’s too friendly, and not in the fun, team-building sort of way. He is constantly inviting you to hang out outside of work and engages in unnecessary office gossip. He uses his influence to make friends at the expense of his work. He chooses favorites and creates divisions among employees, who become frustrated by the imbalance in attention and respect. He can’t make tough decisions involving employees or even fire those who need to be fired (unless he doesn’t like them). His office quickly becomes The Office.
这种类型的老板太过友好,但其友好却不是在乐趣和团队建设方面。工作之余,他不断邀请你到处闲逛,参与不必要的办公室八卦。他牺牲自己的工作,用自己的影响力来交朋友。他会选择自己最喜欢的员工来往,并在员工之间搞小团体,让这些被忽视的员工因为缺乏尊重和关注带来的失衡而感到沮丧。一旦决定中涉及雇员,他就很难做出决断,甚至不敢开除一些需要被开除的员工(除非他不喜欢他们)。他的办公室迅速成为像美国喜剧《办公室》一样的地方。
 
How to neutralize an inappropriate buddy: The most important thing to do with this type of boss is to learn to set firm boundaries. Don’t allow his position to intimidate you. By consciously and proactively establishing a boundary, you can take control of the situation. For example, you can remain friendly with your boss throughout the day but still not be afraid to say no to drinks after work. The difficult part here is maintaining consistency with your boundaries, even if your boss is persistent. By distancing yourself from his behaviors that you deem inappropriate, you will still be able to succeed and even have a healthy relationship with your boss.
如何与这样一个不恰当的“兄弟”相处:与这种老板相处,最重要的是要学会设定严格的界限。不要被他的地位吓到了。通过自觉积极地建立边界,你可以更好地控制局面。比如,白天你可以与老板保持友好,但在下班后也不用害怕拒绝他喝酒的邀请。最困难的莫过于要坚持你定下的原则,即使你的老板坚持不懈地说服你。将自己与你认为老板不合适的行为分离开来,你仍然可以成功,甚至可以与老板保持健康的关系。
 
It’s important you don’t put up unnecessary boundaries that stop you from being seen as friendly . Instead of trying to change the crowd-pleaser and force him to be something he’s not, having him see you as an ally will put you in a stronger position than you could have anticipated.
另一个重要的事是,不要设立一些不必要的界限,这会让你看起来不友善。让老板视你为盟友,而不是试图改变想要取悦员工的老板,迫使他变成其他样子,这样或许会让你到达一个比你预期的更占优势的位置。
 
2. The Micromanager
2.什么都管的老板

This is the boss who makes you feel as if you are under constant surveillance. She thought your handwriting could use improvement, so she waited until you left work at 7:00 p.m. to throw away your pencils and replace them with the .9 lead mechanical pencils that have the “proper grip.” She has even handed back your 20-page report because you used a binder clip instead of a staple. The micromanager pays too much attention to small details, and her constant hovering makes employees feel discouraged, frustrated, and even uncomfortable.
这种老板会让你感觉你处于一种不断被监视的环境中。如果她认为你的书写需要改善,她会等到你下午7点下班后,扔掉你的铅笔,并换成她认为有更合适的另一款铅笔。她甚至会退还回一份20页的报告,只因为你使用的是长尾夹而没有用订书机订上。这种什么都要插一手的老板高度关注细节,而且她的胡搅蛮缠经常会让员工受挫,感到沮丧甚至不舒服。
 
How to neutralize a micromanager: Successful people appeal to micromanagers by proving themselves to be flexible, competent, and disciplined while staying in constant communication. A micromanager is naturally drawn to the employee who produces work the way she envisions. The challenge with the micromanager is grasping the “envisioned way.” To do this, try asking specific questions about your project, check in frequently, and look for trends in the micromanager’s feedback.
如何和什么都要管的老板相处:成功的职员们会向这些老板证明自己是灵活的,有能力的和有纪律的,同时与他们不断进行沟通。一个事事操心的老板自然乐于接受一个能达到他们预期工作效果的员工。与这种类型的老板共事的挑战是要揣摩出老板想要的结果。要做到这一点,可以尝试询问一些有关项目的具体问题,经常报告反馈,并在老板的答复中找到老板期望的方向。
 
3. The Tyrant
3.暴君型老板

The tyrant resorts to Machiavellian tactics and constantly makes decisions that feed his ego. His primary concern is maintaining power, and he will coerce and intimidate others to do so. The tyrant thinks of his employees as a criminal gang aboard his ship. He classifies people in his mind and treats them accordingly: High achievers who challenge his thinking are treated as mutinous. Those who support their achievements with gestures of loyalty find themselves in the position of first mate. Those who perform poorly are stuck cleaning the latrines and swabbing the decks.
暴君型老板总是不择手段,做出的决定也大多为了维护自己的自尊心。他最关心的是如何保持自己的权威,他会“胁迫”和“恐吓”别人也这样做。这种类型的老板认为他的雇员就像是上了他的船的犯罪团伙。他在心里将员工们分门别类,并相应地区别对待:将那些挑战自己的有能力的人视为反叛者。而那些以忠诚的姿态来支持自己的成就的人,则会被推上像大副一样的位置。那些表现不佳的人则有可能终身都被限于清洗厕所和擦拭甲板。
 
How to neutralize a tyrant: A painful but effective strategy with the tyrant is to present your ideas in a way that allows him to take partial credit. The tyrant can then maintain his ego without having to shut down your idea. Always be quick to give him some credit, even though he is unlikely to reciprocate, because this will inevitably put you on his good side. Also, to survive a tyrant, you must choose your battles wisely. If you practice self-awareness and manage your emotions, you can rationally choose which battles are worth fighting and which ones you should just let go. This way, you won’t find yourself on latrine duty.
如何和暴君型的老板相处:针对暴君型老板,一个费心但有效的策略是以一种让他获得部分功劳的方式来呈现你的想法。这样老板就可以既保持他的自尊心,又不至于打击你的想法。尽管有时他不太可能做出回应,但你要准备好给他们些甜头,因为这样做总会让你处于优势的一方。另外,为了要在这种老板身边生存下来,你必须明智地选择什么时候可以展开攻势。如果你能够锻炼自我意识和更好地管理情绪,那么你就可以理性地选择哪些战斗值得参与,而什么时候你又该选择放弃。这样,你总不会沦落到洗厕所的地步了。
 
4. The Incompetent
4.没能力的老板

This boss was promoted hastily or hired haphazardly and holds a position that is beyond her capabilities. Most likely, she is not completely incompetent, but she has people who report to her that have been at the company a lot longer and have information and skills that she lacks.
这类型的老板应该是被匆匆晋升或是偶然被放在一个超出自己能力的职位上。很可能她并不是完全没有能力,只是给她做报告的人往往已经在公司工作了很长时间或是拥有她所缺乏的信息和技能。
 
How to neutralize an incompetent: If you find yourself frustrated with this type of boss, it is likely because you have experience that she lacks. It is important to swallow your pride and share your experience and knowledge, without rubbing it in her face. Share the information that this boss needs to grow into her role, and you’ll become her ally and confidant.
如何和缺乏能力的老板相处:如果你发现自己对这种类型的老板感到不满,很有可能是因为你拥有她缺乏的经验。咽下你的骄傲,和她分享你的经验和知识,而不是驳她的面子,这可非常重要。与老板分享她在职场成长中需要的信息和经验,你将很可能成为她的盟友和知心朋友。
 
5. The Robot
5.机器人式的老板
 
In the mind of the robot, you are employee number 72 with a production yield of 84 percent and experience level 91. This boss makes decisions based on the numbers, and when he’s forced to reach a conclusion without the proper data, he self-destructs. He makes little or no effort to connect with his employees, and instead, looks solely to the numbers to decide who is invaluable and who needs to go.
在机器人老板的眼中,你是72号员工,生产率为84%,经验值为91.这位老板根据数字做出决定,当他被迫在没有适当数据的情况下得出结论时,他只能“自取灭亡”。他很少或几乎不花工夫与他的员工联系,而是仅仅依靠数字来决定谁是无价的,而谁又应该被撵走。
 
How to neutralize a robot: To succeed with a robot, you need to speak his language. When you have an idea, make certain you have the data to back it up. The same goes with your performance—you need to know what he values and be able to show it to him if you want to prove your worth. Once you’ve accomplished this, you can begin trying to nudge him out of his antisocial comfort zone. The trick is to find ways to connect with him directly, without being pushy or rude.
如何与机器人式的老板相处:要在与机器人老板的相处中获得成功,你需要用他的语言和他进行交流。当你有想法时,确保有数据来提供支持。你的表现也应如此,如果你想证明自己的价值,你需要知道他看重什么,并能够向他展示出这些东西。一旦你完成了这件事,你就可以开始尝试慢慢将他从他的反社会舒适区里挤出来。诀窍在于要找到与他直接联系的方法,而不是以强求或粗鲁的方式。
 
Schedule face-to-face meetings and respond to some of his e-mails by knocking on his door. Forcing him to connect with you as a person, however so slightly, will make you more than a list of numbers and put a face to your name. Just because he’s all about the numbers, it doesn’t mean you can’t make yourself the exception. Do so in small doses, however, because he’s unlikely to respond well to the overbearing social type.
安排面对面的会议,或者到他的办公室去回复一些他在电子邮件中提到的问题。迫使他将你作为一个活生生的人进行沟通,尽管只是这些小小的举动,也会让你不再是一串数字,而是让他将你的名字与你的脸联系起来。尽管他关心的只有数字,但这并不意味着你不能让自己成为例外。当然得一点一点地来,因为他很可能对这种霸道的社交模式束手无策。
 
6. The Visionary
6.爱幻想的老板

Her strength lies in her ideas and innovations. However, this entrepreneurial approach becomes dangerous when a plan or solution needs to be implemented, and she can’t bring herself to focus on the task at hand. When the time comes to execute her vision, she’s already off onto the next idea, and you’re left to figure things out on your own.
她的实力就在于她的创意和创新。然而,当需要实施计划或解决方案时,这种企业家的方式就变得十分危险,她无法将自己专注于手头的任务上。当时间已经到了需要执行她构想的图景时,她又已经跳跃到下一个想法了,而你只能自己去弄清楚一切。
 
How to neutralize a visionary: To best deal with this type, reverse her train of thought. She naturally takes a broad perspective, so be quick to funnel things down into something smaller and more practical. To do so, ask a lot of specific questions that force her to rationally approach the issue and to consider potential obstacles to executing her broad ideas. Don’t refute her ideas directly, or she will feel criticized; instead, focus her attention on what it will take to realistically implement her plan. Oftentimes, your questions will diffuse her plan, and when they don’t, they’ll get her to understand—and commit to—the effort it’s going to take on her part to help make it happen.
如何和一个爱幻想的老板相处:处理这种类型最好的方式是扭转她的思路。她总是习惯宏观地看待问题,所以快速将大问题细化成更小的,更实在的小问题。你可以问很多具体的问题,迫使她理性地处理这个事情,并考虑在执行她的伟大构想时存在的潜在障碍。不要直接反驳她的想法,否则她会觉得自己受到了指摘;相反,将她的注意力转移到在实际执行她的计划中需要付出什么样的努力。通常,你的问题会帮助她的计划更具发散性,如果没有的话,也会让她明白实现这一目标需要她共同的努力,同时这也催促着她做出相应的承诺。
 
7. The Seagull
7.像海鸥似的老板

We’ve all been there—sitting in the shadow of a seagull manager who decided it was time to roll up his sleeves, swoop in, and squawk up a storm. Instead of taking the time to get the facts straight and work alongside the team to realize a viable solution, the seagull deposits steaming piles of formulaic advice and then abruptly takes off, leaving everyone else behind to clean up the mess. Seagulls interact with their employees only when there’s a fire to put out. Even then, they move in and out so hastily—and put so little thought into their approach—that they make bad situations worse by frustrating and alienating those who need them the most.
我们或许都经历过这样的事——在一个海鸥经理的阴影下干事,而他突然决定是时候卷起袖子,猛击一阵风暴。海鸥式的领导不会花时间去了解事实,也不会与团队一起合作想出一个可行的解决方案,他们只会堆积老套的建议,然后决定要突然起飞,留下其他人来收拾烂摊子。海鸥老板只有在十万火急的情况下才与员工沟通。即便如此,他们匆忙地进进出出,对自己的做法又总是没什么头绪,还让那些最需要他们的人感到沮丧和被疏远,以至于让本就糟糕的情况变得更糟了。
 
How to neutralize a seagull: A group approach works best with seagulls. If you can get the entire team to sit down with him and explain that his abrupt approach to solving problems makes it extremely difficult for everyone to perform at their best, this message is likely to be heard. If the entire group bands together and provides constructive, non-threatening feedback, the seagull will more often than not find a better way to work with his team. Have the group give him a little nudge, and things are bound to change for the better.
如何和海鸥似的老板相处:抱团应对的方式对这种老板最有效。如果你能让整个团队坐下来和他进行沟通,并解释他解决问题冒失的方式很难让每个人倾尽才能,这样的方式下他才能容易接受这个建议。如果整个团体能聚集在一起,提供建设性的,而不具威胁性的反馈意见,海鸥型老板往往会找到更好的方式与他的团队合作相处。让团队给他施加一点点压力,事情一定会往好的方向发生改变。

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