Games Bosses Play

By Russ Wild

As long as there have been bosses, there have been games of manipulation and intimidation. Yet the games played in today's business world--those outlined in GAMES BOSSES PLAY--stand out for their sophistication and their breadth.
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YOU DID IT

There you are, sitting at the regular Monday powwow, happy as morning dew, sipping your macadamia-nut coffee, when suddenly all eyes turn to you. The senior VP for operations has asked why the critical new warehouse isn't open, and your boss (who told you to shelve that project), shoves an apple in your mouth and serves you up as the sacrificial sucker.

Game analysis:

"The insecure boss can't admit he's imperfect, and therefore can't admit to errors. So when errors do occur, he needs to point a finger. It's that simple," says Alan Weiss, Ph.D., president of Rhode Island-based Summit Consulting Group, and author of Our Emperors Have No Clothes. Of course, if the finger lands on you, things can get rather complex.

How to play it:

• Take the bullet. You'll do more damage if you try to shift the blame to your boss. Your tasks is to minimize the bleeding. First calmly acknowledge the problem, being certain to drop the word "we" in a few times, to suggest that you weren't alone ("Yeah, we really missed the boat on this one."). This sends the subconscious signal flying around the room that your department, not just you, screwed up. And who's in charge of your department? Right, him.

• Solve the problem. Show everyone in attendance what a solution-focused being you are, by talking up all the things that you (no longer a need for "we") will do to tackle the problem.

• Collect the IOU. Once the storm has passed, say something to your boss like, "Hey, Jack, glad I could help out." You're serving a reminder that, by taking a hit for him, you delivered--and you expect it returned.

• Practice defensive penmanship. "The cover-your-rear memo was created to deal with the finger-pointing boss," says Michael Mercer, an industrial psychologist with the Mercer Group, Inc., in Barrington, Illinois. Having the boss's orders on paper may be enough to intimidate him into no longer trying to frame you. And if the constant finger-pointing puts your career on the line, these CYA memos in your back pocket may act like Teflon--and keep you from sticking to the frying pan.

THE STOLEN CREDIT GAME

you envision a new product--say, a pedal-powered toaster oven. Your boss calls the project a lemon; it winds up a peach. Next thing you know, the great naysayer is getting slapped on the back for his phenomenally brilliant new venture. And you're still pushing paper in your windowless crypt at the end of the hall.

Game analysis:

"Maybe it's jealousy...He wishes he had invented the pedal-powered toaster oven. It's possible that the guy hasn't had a major coup himself in years. Maybe if some young upstart like you gets credit, he sees himself on the way out," says Jeffrey Kahn, M.D., a New York psychiatrist who treats executives, and president of WorkPsych Associates, a mental health consulting firm.

How to play it:

• To anyone who will listen, praise your boss for how supportive he was to you on the toaster oven project. This will let others know--oh so subtly--that this was your baby. And--with any luck--it'll also get back to your boss how glowingly you speak of him.

• Demonstrate your knowledge. At meetings with the corporate elders, figure out ways to bring up points about the toaster oven project--inject fine little crumbs that only an insider could know.

• Be your own spin meister. Shameless self-promotion might be the only way you'll ever get any credit, says Mercer. "Build allies in other departments. Plug your successes. Write articles about your projects for the company newsletter. Create a tidal wave in your favor that will wash right over your boss's head."

• Be creative. There are sneaky but harmless ways to make yourself look more valuable to the company. One young exec, we'll call him Tim, teamed up with a pal of his in another division, whom we'll call Tom. Tim CCs Tom on all of his memos; Tom does the same for Tim. This way, each of them appears to have considerable importance in the company. Why else would they be CC'd on so many different subjects?

THE PENDING PROMOTION GAME

All smiles and unbridled optimism, your boss tells you that a promotion is right around the corner. Yessir, it's coming any day now. Of course, you first need to prove that you can handle this new high responsibility job--on top of your present job. So he dumps on you a walloping load, gives you a wink of the eye--and disappears into the executive mist. You toil away for months on end. Talk of promotion never comes up again.

Game analysis:

As in The Pale Bonus (see page 00), the Pending Promotion Game is played by bosses who feel it is their managerial prerogative to dangle carrots in front of people. In this case, the carrot is a loftier position within the company (and all that that entails). "It's a manipulative technique some bosses play to get people to do their bidding, without having to make a firm commitment," says William Krieger, Ed.D., a clinical counselor and business consultant in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

How to play it:

• Get specifics. As soon as your boss even intimates that a promotion is in the wind, get him talking terms. Squeeze him into a solid agreement...Inquire, "If I see the XYZ project to its end...If I bring in three new clients...If I work Saturdays for the next twenty-one weeks--then I'll get my promotion?" If he agrees, put it into a memo with his name on top.

• Argue for authority. If it's too late for a firm agreement, you may have to lean heavily on the boss to get your promotion. Argue that getting the promotion will help you do the job more effectively. Chances are, that's true. Without the title, the authority, and the budget, you're probably facing real constraints. (Like people you allegedly supervise laughing at you when you ask for something to get done.) The boss is more likely to listen if your focus is on productivity and profits rather than a higher salary and loftier title.

• Taste the baloney. If your boss continues to play this game, you're a fool to tag along. "Making false promises is a pattern for some bosses; it's a character flaw. Once you recognize this flaw, you should stop taking your boss seriously, and don't bank on any of his promises. To do so will only mean that you'll be continually let down," says Alyce Ann Bergkamp, an expert in organizational behavior at The Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C.

Russ Wild welcomes your comments about this article. You can contact Russ at: Rwild3@compuserve.com

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