Dear Mr. Monk,
My boss’ name is Jay. I don’t care if he reads this. Jay thinks we do better work when he yells at us and belittles us. Don’t tell me to go over his head. He is the head, the owner of the company. Because he is the boss and a jerk, no one will challenge him, and no one will bring up any new ideas to him. You should be in a meeting with him. He talks and we cower.
Should I look for another job, or just take it?
Steve in Salina
Dear Steve,
Neither. There is a third option to taking or leaving asshole management. You can set your standards higher for your current employer.
The next time the J yells at you, challenge him. Make sure you are loud enough that your fellow employees will hear. Use the “J” word.
When you finish, you will fear losing your job, but that will be nothing new. Fear is the jerk’s method of motivation. The secret: he has an odd and incorrect notion of what motivates his employees; it is likely that he is motivated in the same way.
I predict the bully will respect you and your fellow employees.
Jobbuster Monk
My dear readers: Send me your employment questions. I’ve had over thirty jobs. I’m an expert.