20+ employees share the clueless things their bosses have said to them: 'It’s not mandatory, it’s compulsory!'

The merits and qualities that can push someone into a leadership role are as surprising as they are disappointing; oftentimes, those who might actually make good leaders are passed up in favor of those who possess surprisingly undesirable qualities. You might expect them to have good knowledge and experience in handling the work at hand, along with integrity, accountability, direction, and decisiveness—you know, things that actually are commonly attributed to a good leader. My no means does this mean that a leader needs to be perfect, but being a leader means owning your mistakes and learning from them and elevating those around you.

Unfortunately, who you know and how they feel about you, your complicity, and your willingness to pass exploitative policy without question will often be more likely to get you promoted than any actual leadership qualities. They might have even been good at something—once. And showed promise in a lower role, putting up good numbers, which earned them a promotion despite having no other leadership qualities. Now, as a living and walking Peter Principle, they live their life failing upwards and making those around and under them miserable…

These workers gathered together to share their stories and experiences of things that their foolish and clueless bosses said to them that they still remember to this day.

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Author image for Brad Dickson Brad Dickson
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workplace discussion employment issues antiwork workplace-stories jobs employee employment-discussion job work employees overworked-employees workplace Horrible Bosses employment in the workplace
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