Bad Bosses Good Assistants
Many bosses consider their assistants to be as valuable as their right arm. However, there are times when these relationships can turn toxic and turn a good assistant bad. Here are some of the common things that bosses do to turn good assistants bad. Many companies have "levels" of assistants. Some perform traditional secretarial or reception duties while others have far more responsibility to their boss and the company. Some of the ways that bosses turn a good assistant bad include:Undermining their positionA manager or supervisor who has a good assistant can undermine their position with others in the company. This may not be deliberate, but may be done in small ways. Some of the ways this can happen is to schedule meetings without informing the assistant who then tries to schedule another meeting at the same time. Another way is to chastise the assistant openly in front of others in the office. Not only is this unprofessional, it is embarrassing for everyone involved.Failing to give proper creditOftentimes, a good assistant will do tasks that make their managers look good. In fact, this is a critical aspect of the job of a good assistant. However, when a manager or boss fails to give their assistant the proper credit for a well done task that gains them recognition, assistants can often feel unappreciated and as a result may not do their jobs as well.Bullying tacticsSome bosses may resort to bullying their assistants because they are in a position of authority. None of us likes to deal with a bully in the workplace and when that person is your direct manager or supervisor, bullying becomes intolerable. Bosses who coerce their assistants into staying late under the threat of replacing them will always turn a good assistant bad. No one wants to feel their job is at stake for simply saying no.Too much responsibility, too little payThe more proficient an assistant is, the more likely that a boss will depend on them to get things done. Unfortunately, this often results in a boss who dumps work on their assistant without compensating them for the additional work. While it may be true that most companies only offer salary increases on an annual basis, sometimes assistants do not get as significant a raise as others when they do occur. Disparity in income will turn agood assistantoff and may make them feel that they are being taken advantage of by their bosses.Most people who have had an assistant understand just how crucial they are to their overall success. Most companies have numerous assistants in positions that carry a great deal of responsibility. While it may be easy to consider an assistant a “secretary”, the standard job descriptions are very different in most companies. For a boss to truly succeed inside the company, they must maintain a good (remaining professional)relationship with their assistant. It is important that they avoid the things that bosses do to turn good assistants bad.
