A reader from Ottawa, Canada, writes…
Dear Bing, here’s the (repeated) (hi)story:
- Boss makes decision based on cursory examination of the facts, starting with a statement that he has four solutions that instantly come to mind for this issue.
- Boss loses track of test data accumulated from the tests he designed to address issue.
- Boss berates staff for not implementing the tests correctly, or for not recording relevant test data not intitally asked for.
- Boss avoids performing any tests himself, or visiting the test floor.
- With test results in hand, ignores alternative explanations for issue not in his initial solution set, even with overwhelming data that would allow the janitor to make the right call.
- Runs out of gas, stating that things will need to be broken further before they can be made to work. Also threatens staff with repeating meaningless tests.
- When the solution is finally implemented by avoiding any contact with Boss, creates revisionist version of the facts proclaiming himself solver of the issue as per his initial assessment.
This boss shows all the signs of executive dementia: losing things, lack of concentration, selective stupidity, inappropriate rage, inattention to details, greed for unearned credit. What can we do but laugh!? (Cry?)
