Top dogs: Authoritarian managers kill motivation

“That’s what I’ve been told to tell you.”

“There’s nothing I can do about it.”

“Those are the rules.”

“If you don’t like it here, you can …”

We’ve all heard the above in one form or another. An authoritarian manager tells you what to do with no reason, no collaboration and no empathy. Dealing with these people is frustrating, leads to lack of production and kills motivation.

These people know that they are top dogs because they have the title or make more money or have been there longer or own the company or feel superior. They cannot believe the temerity of those who question company decisions! No matter how many motivational seminars they attend, they seem to learn nothing.

I seem to have worked for many bosses like this over the years, and I have noticed that they:

• Are insecure

• Want everyone to like them, but don’t know how to make this happen

• Usually work for someone just like themselves

• Hate change

• Give lip service to motivational activities, but think that they are a waste of time

• Are insensitive to others and rarely ask follow-up questions if anything personal comes up in conversation

• Are loyal to the company but not to their team members

• Feel workers are expendable

• Fake it so you feel they’re on the same page.

So what can you do with these top dogs? There are certain types who just cannot work for them. If you have a need for positive feedback, minimal social interaction or empathy, forget it.

If you are an independent worker who has little interaction with your authoritarian boss, it may work out for you. Sometimes, however, we find ourselves stuck. We can’t change jobs immediately for some reason and we need to work for this person. Note that I didn’t say “work with” because there is usually no collaboration time available.

Here are six ways to work with a “top dog”:

1. Keep emotion out of it. They don’t care what you think and they especially don’t want to hear about your personal life. Words like “feel,” “upset,” “hurt,” and “need” are foreign to their vocabulary. As Joe Friday in “Dragnet” says, “Just the facts, ma’am.” If you have to be out sick or go to a funeral, just state the bare minimum. They don’t care; they just want to know how it affects them and the bottom line.

2. Don’t respond immediately. Top-down managers have a nasty habit of dropping jobs on us with no warning, making pronouncements with no background and trying to throw us off our game. Don’t play into it. If your boss drops a project on you, just talk about the time expectation. Don’t start with the reasons you can’t get it done. Look at the rest of your workload and come back with a three-point plan for finishing it. Remember that this person’s goal is to get it done. They don’t really care how it is done.

3. E-mail often works better than verbalization. It is easier to send an emotionless e-mail to your boss than go through the pain of a confrontation. You can re-write an e-mail until it succinctly describes your situation. Tip: Read it out loud to see how it sounds. You don’t want your e-mail to come back to haunt you.

4. Just listen. Once, I had to recruit for a “screamer.” This guy expressed himself in a loud tone of voice and often was very sarcastic. After a while, I figured out how to deal with him and it was very simple: I just listened. He usually vented about the particular problem and then was ready to talk. I didn’t join in the anger or sarcasm. I just shut up until the fire burned out.

5. Be on time with everything. These people work on a strict schedule. They don’t want anything late – people, projects, ideas. Keep a calendar and make sure that you follow his or her timeline to the letter. Excuses will not fly with these people, even if they are valid.

6. Don’t expect them to change. Wishing doesn’t make it so. We initially think that the reactions of our authoritarian boss are because of something we did or said. After some time (the honeymoon period usually lasts three to six months), we realize that whatever we do, the person will have the same reactions.

I don’t know about you, but I have rarely seen anyone in my life change dramatically, and never with a boss. Usually I am the one who changes, and my new attitude has an effect – sometimes.

Authoritarian bosses cannot be expected to change the habits of a lifetime of working. When we expect them to change, we are living in a dream world that will only lead to disappointment.

The question becomes very clear: Can you work for an authoritarian boss or should you look for another job? It truly depends on your personality, how much you are willing to change and how much daily interaction you have with him or her.

In my case, I seem to be able to work with authoritarian types if I don’t work directly for them. What is your style? How much of your personality are you willing to tamp down to work with someone else?

Don’t be afraid to exercise your options.

Sinara Stull O’Donnell is a professional speaker and writer through Springfield-based SinaraSpeaks. She is the author of “Be The Star Of Your Life: Are You Ready For Your Close-Up?” She can be reached at sinaraspeaks@earthlink.com.