University of Minnesota - UMN Executive Leadership Insights
Managing Your Manager
Book

Managing Your Manager

How to Get Ahead with Any Type of Boss

Gonzague Dufour
McGraw-Hill, 2010
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Editorial Rating

7

Qualities

  • Applicable

Recommendation

A stressed-out manager often results in stressed-out employees. You can have a more positive, productive professional life if you understand your supervisors and handle them according to their personality profiles. Human resources executive Gonzague Dufour identifies and explains the six common managerial types. He devotes most chapters to profiling these archetypes, listing identifying traits according to professional tactics that work or don’t work for each manager in specific situations, such as asking for a raise or dealing with a crisis. While many managers manifest characteristics from more than one boss type, and not all leaders are so easy to categorize, you will find yourself nodding in agreement with many of the author’s points. getAbstract recommends this practical, useful book to entry- and mid-level employees, as well as to higher-level executives who wonder, “Am I a good boss?”

Summary

What Kind of Manager Is Your Boss?

Employees who understand and work well with their supervisors flourish in their jobs. Look for your boss among six common managerial types:

  • “The Bully."
  • "The Good."
  • "The Kaleidoscope."
  • "The Star."
  • "The Scientist.”
  • "The Navel.”

If you’re lucky, your boss is a rare “Seventh Leader,” who can adapt and learn from others. Each boss type has positive and negative attributes you can learn to manage.

The Bully

As the name suggests, Bully bosses are competitive, aggressive, driven and confident. Bullies motivate their employees with fear and intimidation. They aren’t afraid to question or criticize others, including their own bosses. Bullies micromanage. Many people like working for Bullies because they reward ambitious people who deliver results.

Never take a Bully’s comments personally. Instead, find humor in situations; “limit the pain, target the gain.” Set a time limit on how long you will work for a Bully. To handle Bullies, avoid surprises and keep them “in the loop.” Develop an area of expertise they lack, do the jobs they hate and stand up to them.

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About the Author

Gonzague Dufour has been an HR executive with major companies worldwide.

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