Watercooler
Lothario Bosses to Look Out For This Valentine’s Day
Glassdoor Team
Glassdoor Team | Author & Career Expert at Glassdoor | 14 Feb 2020
This Valentines’ Day, Glassdoor is providing employees with warning signs to look out for to spot bad ‘lothario’ bosses. How to spot the signs and what to do about it.
Not exclusive to dating, the following personalities can be found in bad bosses who adopt behaviours seen in the dating world in the workplace:
The Lovebomber
How to spot them: A manager who attempts to influence and get people on side through constant praise and demonstration of attention and affection. What to do: While this positive attention may leave employees feeling valued and liked, approach these bosses with caution as they’ll likely want something in return for their attention. Enjoy the positivity, but be alert to demanding requests or asks from a love-bombing manager.The Gaslighter
How to spot them: Unfortunately, you may not spot this one at first. Gaslighting managers, whether consciously or subconsciously, seek to sow seeds of doubt in the mind of someone. Your manager may be gaslighting you if you find yourself questioning your own memory, perception or sanity at work. What to do: If you begin questioning yourself or your actions, but don’t know why, try seeking other people’s opinion (but not the manager in question!). In addition, keep a record of agreed points and actions from conversations with this manager to use as evidence if the manager tries to deny knowledge of it happening.The Bencher
How to spot them: If you continuously volunteer to take on tasks and your manager acknowledges this with a ‘maybe, I’ll come back to you’, but instead continues to ask other employees and ends up choosing one of them instead of you each time, you may have a bencher as a manager. What to do: Ensure someone else - perhaps your boss’ boss - is aware of the situation and sees your manager constantly overlooking you. They may be able to step in and ensure you get given the task, or they may be able to have a word with the manager in question.The Ghoster
How to spot them: You’re really enthusiastic about a project that you and your manager are set to work on together and have been having regular planning meetings about it. If these meetings suddenly begin to dry up and your manager avoids all talk of said project, they may be a ghoster. What to do: Be persistent; continue working on the project and chasing your manager until you are given the red light. Ensure there is a record of this communication and the work you’re putting in in case others in your business request an update or want to know the reason why the project doesn’t go ahead. RELATED: Bad Bosses: Glassdoor Survey Reveals Worst Manager HabitsGlassdoor Team
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