Bad Boss or Not? How to Improve Manager Effectiveness - By Ken Burgin

Good managers aren't usually walking the streets looking for work, and there's a lot you can do internally to raise the skills and standard of your existing supervisors, chefs and managers.

HR expert Bob Sutton has followed up his best-selling bookThe No-A**hole Rulewith ideas gathered from the enormous amount of feedback he received.

The new book is calledGood Boss, Bad Boss - How to be the Best and Learn from the Worst. Watch the short video summary below, and think about how it could be used to improve the leadership ability of all your staff: supervisors, managers and owners, plus those who aspire to those positions.

So what makes a good boss?One thing identified by Sutton is how 'they work hard to stay in tune with how their followers (also peers and customers) react to what they say and do. The best bosses know that their success depends on having the self-awareness to control their moods and moves, to understand their impact on others, and to keep finding ways to promote effort, dignity and pride among their people. He quotes research showing that the more power you give people, the more oblivious they become to the people they lead.' Sound familiar?

Ways to use this Video and the ideas it contains:

• Share a link to this article and ask for comments.


• Download the video and ask people to watch it on a PC, iPod or iPad (here's how).


• Watch it with your management team and discuss the points as they come up.


• Use it for discussion about 'what makes a bad boss' - brainstorm the worst of the worst.


• Ask the team to think of examples from a previous workplace - sometimes this is a safer way to approach controversial issues.


• Ask team members to think of what applies and does not apply to the current workplace.


• Notice the good questions asked in the interview - what else would you like to ask Bob Sutton?


• Add it to your privateStaff Resource Sitein a section for managers and supervisors.


• Buy the book and share it around (will it be read?) or buy it for reading on a Kindle.

Don't Forget:

• Some managers may become defensive and criticise the ideas as unrealistic or inappropriate. How will you handle this?


• Some vocabulary may not be understood (although the video is quite simple) eg 'oblivious'


• If you're the boss, you are putting yourself on the line by sharing this. But I guess you realised that!


• Material like this creates a hunger for more professional development - don't stop! This site is packed with great material forRestaurant Managers,Bar and Club ManagersandStaff Management.


• Great management material from Sutton's previous book inDealing with Jerks and Bullies in the Workplace.

Profitable Hospitality offers management and cost-control systems (Manuals & CD-ROMs) for restaurants, cafes, hotels, bars and clubs. The systems are based on the extensive consulting and operating experience of CEO Ken Burgin, and enable busy owners and managers to set up complete operating and cost-control systems in minutes, not months. Profitable Hospitality also runs regular management training workshops in the areas of kitchen profit & efficiency, restaurant marketing and functions management. A free monthly e-newsletter keeps you up to date on the latest industry management issues. www.profitablehospitality.com.

Reader Comments:

Be the first to leave a comment for this article