What “bad boss” are you?
“You don’t leave a bad job, you leave a bad boss.”
How many times have you heard this? Or maybe even left the job to escape the not-so-great manager? As relatable as this statement is, we want to throw some compassion into the situation because being a boss is hard work. And no one is perfect! Sometimes, we may have an inner bad boss that comes out. That’s why we created this quiz. To get a wee bit of self awareness, but in a fun way. Also, some necessary caveats:
We know that no one sets out to be a bad boss
Self awareness is the beginning of making positive change
GCC is in the business of making better leaders (and employees) out of everyone so that we can all experience less Sunday scaries
So, here they are. The four “bad boss” archetypes that we’ve all worked with (and maybe been) at one point or another.
(Also, if you’re taking this quiz, we know that you’ve never actually been the bad boss 😊.)
THE ENFORCER
You run a tight ship, and get results. At times, that can be the problem. You're going for excellence and accountability. But whether intentional or not, your team's speed is built on fear, not buy-in. The tell? Bad news reaches you last, if at all.
Your learning edge: Treat the messenger like you want more messengers. The results you want live on the other side of safety, not just pressure.
THE PERFECTIONIST
If you want it done right… everyone knows how that sentence ends.
You care deeply about quality and you'll redo it yourself to protect the standard. But when every path runs through you, people stop thinking (or caring), and you become the bottleneck.
Your learning edge: Let "good" be good enough. Hand over the outcome, not the method. The 15% you'd do differently is where your team grows.
THE FRIEND
Great to work for. Hard to grow under.
You lead with warmth and protect the vibe. But warmth without accountability lets things slide. The underperformer never hears it, your stars never get the feedback that'd level them up, and everyone quietly learns the standard is optional.
Your learning edge: Candor is kindness. Say the hard thing weekly, warmly, clearly. People can't improve on feedback you're too nice to give.
THE GHOST
Big-picture thinker, above the fray, and impossible to find.
You trust your team and get out of their way. But from where they sit, "I trust you" and "you're on your own" can start to look identical, and autonomy without bounds can feel like abandonment.
Your learning edge: Be a reliable door to knock on. Keep one standing check-in you won't cancel. Presence isn't hovering… it's being findable when it counts! You want your team to feel less like "you're on your own" and more like "I've got you."