By Geoffrey James   contributing editor Inc., com.

By the laws of mathematics, most bosses are more or less average when it comes to management talent. However, bosses who are really awful tend to share these 10 easily-identifiable characteristics. — Geoffrey James

  1. They’re indecisive.

Horrible bosses analyze problems to death and make tentative decisions, which they frequently revisit. By contrast, great bosses make decisions quickly and hold firm to them because they know that failure to decide is failure by default.

  1. They’re impatient.

Horrible bosses have a short fuse and are quick to vent frustration on employees. By contrast, great bosses keep their tempers in check lest browbeaten employees make more and worse mistakes.

  1. They’re overly dramatic.

Horrible bosses inflate every setback into a disaster, every competitor into a nemesis, and every workday into a series of conflicts. By contrast, great bosses turn setbacks into stepping stones, competitors into allies, and each workday into a good day.

  1. They’re controlling.

Horrible bosses believe there are only two ways to do something: “My way or the highway.” By contrast, great bosses use their employees’ individual traits to align personal goals with business goals.

  1. They’re not self-aware.

Horrible bosses ride the roller coaster of their own emotions, dragging employees along with them. By contrast, great bosses cultivate the emotional awareness to understand their own processes and harness them to everyone’s… more

  1. They play favorites.

Horrible bosses hand out plum assignments, perks, and raises to employees whom they like the best. By contrast, great bosses give each employee the opportunity to excel in his or her own way.

  1. They’re overly vain.

Horrible bosses hog the limelight and take the credit for the successes of their team. By contrast, great bosses always realize that without actual workers doing actual jobs, there would be no such things as a “job creator.”

  1. They’re inflexible.

Horrible bosses are forever trying to replicate past successes, even if they’re ancient history. By contrast, great bosses treat past successes warily because “what got you to where you are now won’t get you to where you want to go.”

  1. They blame others.

Horrible bosses finger-point and scapegoat when things go wrong. By contrast, great bosses know that the failure of a team is always a failure of its leadership and rarely of the team itself.

  1. They’re never grateful.

Horrible bosses characterize themselves as “self-made” because they’ve worked so hard. Great bosses are always conscious that they’re successful because they’re standing on the shoulders of giants. Loosely adapted from the… more

Internet 2017  —– I want to add micro-managing, but then again, that probably falls under Controlling! CW