How do you manage to work for an incompetent boss?

Philippines
September 30, 2010 4:03pm CST
I am so frustrated and angry with my immediate supervisor. She wants to get all the credit, she doesn't do her job, and when she does it, she's not really very good at it. She talks down on people and her ego is the size of a small elephant. I tried ignoring her, but she's like a huge wart that doesn't blend into her surroundings. I also tried engaging in open warfare with her, but she's so obnlivious and dense, she truly doesn't think there's something wrong with her. We tried to get her fired, but it bombed. She just got told off by her managers but no lasting change happened. I don't know what I'm going to do anymore. I love my job, but she's the reason why on some mornings, I don't want to get up and go to work anymore. Sigh.
3 people like this
12 responses
@salonga (27775)
• Philippines
1 Oct 10
I don't think I could ever manage to work with an incompetent Boss. I would rather just resign from my post than to hate him all day of my life. There are other job opportunities around anyway so why would I allow myself to suffer.
• Philippines
1 Oct 10
i can manage it by the way of giving way to my boss
• United States
1 Oct 10
You don't. You can't work with incompetent bosses. I had an incompetent boss as well, and she ended up firing me. I blew the whistle on her and dirty business practices, and the place that I worked for got shut down. It was a hole in the wall, coffee shop, and the woman who ran it had no clue what she was doing, and it showed. I worked on the night staff, and before I came along, she fired many of her night staff employees, so I wasn't shocked when fired me. Also, my co-worker were getting irritated with her as well, and they also ratted her out. It was a mess.
• Philippines
1 Oct 10
I know what you mean. Most of my co-trainers are already up to our wits end on how we can cover up her mess! Her incompetence and bad decision making is reflecting on the whole team. This woman needs to be fired sooner or later.
• United States
1 Oct 10
Sorry to hear that. Sounds awful. I guess the only thing you can do is try to make the best of it and wait for those above her to see her for what she really is. If she's that bad eventually she will show her true colors to those that can make a difference. Best of luck with it. Hope it works out for you.
• Philippines
1 Oct 10
I usually tolerate her more on most days, but today was just, blech! I guess I just needed to vent. Thank you for your response.
@maezee (42003)
• United States
30 Sep 10
You could keep in contact with her supervisors, and keep them posted when she makes a mistake or does her job wrong. Other than that, there's no a whole lot you can do! I've been there, almost in a very similar situation before. I had a boss who was just HORRIBLE at her job, really unpleasant to be around, and left the majority of HER work for me - even though she was full-time and I was only part-time. I worked under her for a year, and then she got fired. HOWEVER - after she got fired, the most WONDERFUL boss I had EVER imagined had taken her place. So sometimes, patience and tolerance just pays off.
• Philippines
30 Sep 10
I'm glad to know that your boss from hell got fired. Already tried to get mine fired, but she just got a slap on the back of her hand. That's the problem when you work for a huge company. It's too impersonal. I'm trying to be patient, but I guess I'll have to try harder. Thank you for your response. :)
• United States
1 Oct 10
Is there some one higher up than her that you could tell how she is acting? That's what I would do go to the higher up person and let them know and if it is not only you she is bothering have other people complain about her too. Well hope that helped and good luck I know it is no fun to work with annoying people!! I just quit a job that I really loved because of a annoying person but I am at another job now and they are stuck with her!! L.O.L.
• Philippines
1 Oct 10
We already requested a SKIP Evaluation for her and a Focus Group Discussion with her managers. She got a warning and kind of backed off and laid low for a few days. Then after a that, she went back to being her annoying self. I don't want to quit my job. I love it. I love working for my company. And I get persoanl satisfaction from teaching. I should probably work harder on just ignoring her and pay attention instead on positive things. Thank you for your response.
• Brazil
30 Sep 10
Dont worry, i were at this same situation... my boss was a man that didnt undestood anything about our work, he was only the boss becouse her daugther was the owner of the company... but now i´m finally left that place, and today i´m my own boss, i openned my own company, and i´m very well now
• Philippines
30 Sep 10
That's great to hear! Glad to know that you're well now.
• Philippines
1 Oct 10
Having been a bad boss can really cause a lot of tensions and frustrations. Even so, even you like it or not, there's a reason for your boss position, no matter how unreasonable this may look to you. When the boss is incompetent, it is easy that the whole team will be recognized as incompetent. Managing such boss requires great leadership skills on your side. You need to be smart, know what you do, and make sure that your team will deliver the expected results. This means that you must be a good at supporting your boss even if she will get the credit for it ( in the beginning). Create a record of all your accomplishments for the time you want to move in to a different position
@Sanitary (3968)
• Singapore
1 Oct 10
By out doing them. That's the best way to answer to critics and people around us. Let your supervisor take the credit for the first time if u realize she's such a person. From there onwards, don't put in your best effort for her again. If there's any project not concerning her, put in your best efforts. Over a short time, your manager will then know the truth behind all those work done. Don't be afraid to offend your supervisor. If the company is only listening to your supervisor yet not listening to u, it's time to leave the company. After all, it's their loss when they don't cherish u as an asset, by then u will be their competitor.
@pinoycity (575)
• Philippines
1 Oct 10
That is really a big problem and a difficult situation to all of you, subordinates of this supervisor. Just pray for her and your group.
• United States
1 Oct 10
I know exactly how you feel. I used to get those same feelings years ago and still do occasionally today. It can be mind boggling as to why certain people obtain the positions they have. Is it through their brain or talent (if any) or is there family involved? Problem is, many people who can be good at a certain jobs have absolutely no supervisory skills. Many companies or corporations usely have some type of course to prepare them for that posistion and they still don't have a clue. Smaller companies don't have the luxury. I finally came to a conclusion: If you can't stand them go over them. What I mean is that you obtain a position that is over them if possible. I worked in Corrections and in that field intelligence and common sense were necessary. It didn't always happen. I knew there wasn't a darn thing I could do but to promote over them. In most cases I was able to do it. For the ones I coudn't promote over, I remembered a quote someone once told me: "There is no such thing as a bad employee just bad supervision".
@morgn010 (31)
• Egypt
1 Oct 10
there is a wisdom at egypt says if you had abad neighbour you should be patient till he leave or have some catstrofe you must be patient and work good in your job there will be one day her boss watch the difference and her defaults and evalute the good like you
@dredge (16)
1 Oct 10
ouch, sad to hear that. I guess most of us who posted replies here would say that we were in the same position that you are in now. Kinda makes you wanna quite your job. Honestly, that would be a bad move for you. Not only would you start from scratch, your supervisor would still be there in the same company doing what she keeps on doing (being incompetent, hehe). Same thing here, i had a supervisor once who din't do anything, and the only reason she has ever gotten to that position is because of internal politics. Maybe it's the same for her. in that case, getting her fired would mean taking on the very person who holds higher positions than her. most of those who posted here are right, but one thing caught my attention: be the best in what you do, cause sooner than usual, management would notice. Patience is definitely the key for this. Another one is, you should always remember that a supervisor would always have a manager and colleagues, and a manager would have a senior or a director. if her manager has done nothing, you could either request for a one-on-one or group meeting w/ the manager and discuss the issue. if nothing has been done and no changes, try other mangers on the same level. in this way, you are not by-passing positions. if still nothing happens, then i guess you have to escalate the issue to higher management and so forth. Do not have a heated argument w/ your supervisor. She hold more authority than you and definitely will not tolerate insubordination, specially when threatened by anyone under her. If communication w/ her was never the answer, then step it up to the next level. One thing i remeber when i was in the same position, and no one has done anything, was to make a protest letter to our senior operations manager, signed by most of my colleagues, addressing the issue of our supervisor. By the time an executive hearing commenced, we had already set disclaimer that if no action was done, we would escalate the issue to the directors and the company CEO. It was a bold move in our part, but it was worth it and effective. Goodluck!