Leadership Courseware

A couple weeks ago, I posted an article called “Valuable Outcomes from Bad Managers?” Erin Thomas commented, “There may be room for a follow up dissertation on the outright abusive management styles that still exist. How does one answer the ‘worst manager’ question when indeed the worst was really bad?”

Though we would like to think that abusive behaviors do not exist in the workplace, the fact is that there are a few employees whose behavior could use some modification. Often, these individuals are permitted an elite status of acceptance because of the perception that they have knowledge or skills that are irreplaceable. Though the companies that are harboring these individuals are taking considerable risk, at some level, the value received is deemed worth it.

When abusive behavior is exhibited by individual contributors, companies may be able to minimize the impact of their behavior by insulating them from other employees i.e. private offices, working from home, special work schedules, etc. But, when the abusive individuals are managers with direct reports, it is very difficult to minimize the damage they can do. Perhaps a new job title and promotion to a position that does not have management responsibilities or direct reports would be an option for consideration.

Employees who work for abusive managers often do not feel empowered to use the protections afforded them to bring legal action against the individuals and/or companies for whom they work. And, when job opportunities are scarce it is difficult to keep in mind that the law is on your side. As a result, most employees will tolerate abusive situations, while trying to avoid direct confrontation, until such time as they can find another opportunity. When that opportunity does arise, however, what is the best way to answer the dreaded “worst manager” question? My instinct is to always tell the truth, though it may need some consideration so that it is communicated in the most positive way.

I was faced with the “worst manager” question some years ago while being interviewed for a mid-level management position. The interviews had been going well. And then, one of the interviewers asked me what I thought of Mr. “X,” a manager that I had previously worked for. This was not your typical, “Tell me about your worst manager,” question. This was a direct inquiry about a specific person. I had no way of knowing the interviewers’ knowledge of, or relationship to Mr. “X.” I thought briefly about putting a positive spin on things and telling them what a wonderful person he was to work with. And then common sense prevailed and I gave them my honest opinion. I told them that Mr. “X” was the most unethical, misguided person I had ever had the misfortune to work for, but in cleaning up the messes he created I learned a lot about being a good leader.

When they quit laughing, they told me that they too had reported to Mr. “X” in another company and they were testing my willingness to state an unpleasant truth. Telling the truth in an unemotional manner with the inclusion of something positive learned from the experience is always the best answer in an interview situation.

Presently, I am aware of one situation where a first line manager in a multi-billion dollar company has a reputation for swearing and calling names, yelling in people’s faces, throwing things, and in other ways setting himself and the company up for multiple lawsuits on a regular basis. He has remained in his position for several years for exactly the reasons stated above: he has knowledge and skills that only about 6 people in the world have, and the employees who work in his department are typically non-college graduates who have limited opportunities. If this is the kind of person for whom you worked, how might you answer the question: “Tell me about the worst manager you ever worked for and what did you take away from that?”

I might offer something like this:

“My worst manager was an overbearing, abusive individual who did not understand how his behavior was impacting his staff or the productivity of the organization. Though he is a noted expert in his field which allowed me to significantly enhance my skills, his abusive behavior was a contributing factor in the failure of others.”

Presented in a quiet, respectful manner, this statement answers the question without exposing the gory details and without personal blaming.

I can’t speak for all interviewers, but when I ask the worst manager question I am not looking for detailed information about the manager, I am seeking to learn whether the candidate is someone I can work with. Did they make the best of a bad situation or did they contribute to it?

One last thing to consider: hearing a statement such as I provided above may prompt another question, i.e. “Why didn’t you report the abuse to his superiors?” Again, I think the truth should be told. If you didn’t report it because you did not trust upper management to protect your interests, then that is what you should say. Such a response simply says that upper management did not do a good job of fostering trust in their open door policy.

If you are going into an interview situation, you can anticipate a number of questions that may be challenging. I recommend writing down the questions that come to mind and then formulating answers that you can articulate without sounding too rehearsed.

Thank you for your comments, Erin. I appreciate the opportunity to follow up.

Tags: job search, Leadership, management, new job