45 things that drive your boss crazy

45 Things You Do That Drive Your Boss
Crazy*
*And How to Avoid Them

AUTHOR: Anita Bruzzese
PUBLISHER: Perigee Books
DATE OF PUBLICATION: 2007
NUMBER OF PAGES: 256 pages

The Big Idea
45 Things You Do That Drive Your Boss Crazy* by Anita Bruzzese

• Career columnist Anita Bruzzese has covered the
workplace from all its angles. She’s been both an employer
and an employee, and as a business journalist, has
interviewed hundreds of top managers and workplace
experts. In the course of her career she’s come to
understand that many employees and their bosses are
simply not on the same page – as she puts it, many aren’t
even in the same book to begin with.
• This of course leads to nothing but trouble between both
bosses and employees – and is nothing but career suicide
for those who can’t play by the rules.

Why You Need This Book

• In this simply-written and much needed book, Bruzzese reveals
the most common complaints from bosses regarding their
employees and what they do wrong. She groups these
complaints into sections, discusses them and then offers advice
on how those who wittingly (or unwittingly) commit these errors
can shape up, fly right and at least be considered for a position
come promotion time – or not be fired when times get tough.
• The individual traits or practices the author identifies are
grouped in logical order, making them and the relationships
between them easy to understand.

Bosses Don’t Promote Employees Who Make Them Feel Uncomfortable

1. Treating the office like it’s your love shack
Getting into relationships at work can be troublesome – partners
can distract each other and/or display inappropriate behavior
that makes other people very uncomfortable. Also,
relationships between officemates that end badly are usually
very problematic for everyone.
Office relationships are bound to take place whether they’re
permitted or not. If you are bent on having a relationship with
someone you work with, behave discreetly; keep away from
the usual haunts; remain friendly with others; and no PDA! If
one of you supervises the other, things are bound to get
even more troublesome – they can lead to charges of sexual
harassment.

2. Punching the soda machine when you’re stressed out
and ticked off
Bosses can see uncontrolled emotion as a potential danger to
both your coworkers and your boss himself. It can result in
written documentation that can lead to a suspension,
dismissal or even a lawsuit.


Admit that there is a problem to begin with, and take steps to deal
with the stress in ways that don’t involve hurting someone at
work – such as keeping a job journal and noting what
happened at work; visiting the doctor and getting a check-up;
simply walking around when things are heating up; and
address personal concerns outside the office.

3. Goofing off on a business trip
Regardless of wherever you go on business trips (and of however
“informal” things get where you go), your workplace follows
you. It doesn’t matter that you’ve gone out of the building;
you’re still doing it on the company’s pay. You have to watch
out for those moments when you might say and/or do
something you might really regret later on – especially when
tired or drunk.
You can also avoid dressing down (you might meet someone
from work on the road); avoid flirting at all costs, whether
single or married (all the more reason not to do so!); don’t
“go out” too much and spend all your time sightseeing and all
that; and watch out for your equipment and data – stay safe


4. Earning a reputation as a whiner, drama queen or general
pain in the neck
What other people think of you at work really matters. It’s
important that you fit right in as a member of the workplace
team. And even though your boss might not interact with you
on a daily basis, you can bet she’ll be giving credence to
what other people say.
Whether you deserve being called so or not, you could simply
take control of your life and actually do something about your
problems instead of just mouthing off; be honest and don’t
exaggerate; become more self-sufficient; suck it up and take
care of it yourself; lend a hand to others to forget about your
own troubles; or find professional help.

5. Discussing your personal beliefs at work
You can really get disruptive when talking about your personal
beliefs at work – this always triggers strong emotions.
Tempers will get raised and people will be distracted from
what they’re supposed to be doing. Plus there’s always the
possibility of harassment.


To keep your personal beliefs from getting in the way of your
success, be realistic (not everyone can or will share your
beliefs), be discreet (don’t proclaim them openly), keep it off
company time (no personal business at work), and be cool
when someone talks to you about it.

6. Telling dirty jokes and cussing on the job
This sort of behavior is not only rude but also worrisome – it can
lead to charges of sexual harassment. In addition, even if it
doesn’t go that far, it can polarize your work environment by
offending many people.
To avoid problems, always figure someone’s eavesdropping, so
always watch what you say; fine people little amounts for
every swear word they say; think about why you do it (to
impress?, to intimidate?); and consider your future (your
boss isn’t likely to have good memories of you if you keep it
up).


7. Having questionable personal integrity
Real integrity means that you don’t lie about what you’re doing.
You work when you’re supposed to and don’t lie about what
you do while on the job. And if your integrity’s questioned, it
may prove very hard indeed to clean up your reputation.
Misdemeanors include lying (a way of controlling and
manipulating people and situations that can be grounds for
mistrust and even dismissal), blame (bosses do NOT
appreciate finger pointing), sticky fingers (thievery is
punishable by firing and/or criminal charges), not keeping
your word, faking an absence (for which other people may
have to work doubly hard to cover for you), and hanging
around with the wrong people.

Bosses Get Rid of Employees With Too Many Bad Habits

8. Blogging about your job
If you want to hang on to your job, don’t write about it in your
personal online diary or website! The boss will find out, and
you’ll get it for sure. It’s a very bad idea to go online and say
bad things about your company and/or the people you work
with, because even if you think that your posting is
completely anonymous, it can and most likely will be
discovered.
And for those who try to hide behind the right to free speech,
companies will argue just as noisily about their right to
protect their reputation in the marketplace, and will stop any
action that may work against them – even if it takes firing an
employee.

9. Having poor writing and spelling skills
More and more, writing and spelling skills are becoming part and
parcel of people’s competencies at work. The fast pace of
work nowadays means that bosses are always on the lookout
for people who don’t need too much attention regarding the
work they churn out – and quite a few people do because of


To improve your writing, read (to get familiar with sentence
formation, proper spelling and the like), take care not to
outsmart yourself by coming up with needlessly convoluted
sentences, work to improve (you need to work at writing to
be able to write well), avoid slang, use correct names, reread
your work, and be concise.

10. Failing to write thank-you notes
A nice handwritten thank-you note lets you manage your image
and reputation. Whereas a badly done note sets your
reputation back by that much.
Some tips: It’s okay to send e-mail, but nothing beats the
personal feel of a good handwritten note. Also, keep it simple
and sincere. Next, stop putting writing the note up – if it’s
terribly late it’ll be awkward. Also be prepared – get some
thank-you notes ready in advance if you can. Lastly, learn
from others and keep some of the better-written notes you’ve
received so they can serve as examples.


11. Committing e-mail blunders
Some people treat e-mail like they would a phone conversation
and make them terribly informal. The trouble with that is, e-
mail’s recorded and can be sent out to people ad infinitum
and thus can last practically forever – “lawsuit heaven” in
lawyer lingo.
Think very carefully before you send that email. If it’s not vital and
only “neat,” then it may not at all be suitable for sending out –
and certainly not to everyone on your contact list. You might
be better off bringing it up in an actual conversation. To be
safe, keep it strictly business (especially if you work in a
company that has absolutely no sense of humor).

12. Failing to speak intelligently
The inability to speak well in the workplace is a growing problem
that hurts careers. A limited vocabulary can cause you to
miss information and ideas from the higher-ups because you
can’t keep up with them – which can be fatal especially in the
faster-paced workplaces. Also, unless you speak well, others
will lose interest in what you say very fast.


To improve yourself in this respect, focus on self-improvement
(you have to work on improving yourself), spend time with
people who can speak well, practice so you can get
comfortable, don’t rush when you speak, and avoid slang
altogether.

13. Wearing the wrong thing to work
If you dress inappropriately according to your company’s
standards, it creates a less-than serious environment that’s
very distracting. Even in those companies that don’t have
clearly defined dress codes, the bosses do care and notice
what their employees are wearing. And poorly dressed
employees aren’t usually considered when it’s time to send
the best staff to meet the clients.

Try to avoid being too casual – no clothes for staying in or going
out to clubs, for instance. No shirts with statements. No
clothes that reveal too much skin. Cover your tattoos if you
have any; shave daily. Check if your perfume or cologne is
too strong or if you smell bad. Remember that neatness


14. Behaving immaturely at company parties
Company parties are still company events and should be seen as
such – not venues for people to let it all hang loose,
embarrass themselves and incur the boss’s anger. This is
common sense – and yet time and time again employees
make this mistake.
Limit your drinking (and make sure you don’t drink if you’re
driving). Be social and go around and meet other people (just
make sure you don’t flirt). Avoid groups that are getting too
boisterous. Be responsible for the people you bring. Dress
appropriately. Lastly, use good manners at all times. (And
don’t just ditch the event!)

15. Being disorganized
A worker who is unorganized and messy at work is probably not
working at a very high level of productivity and efficiency.
Neater workers are more likely to get noticed, appreciated
and promoted. Messy workspaces do NOT say that you’re
working; they simply say that you’re disorganized.


Get rid of unnecessary stuff! Dump the junk and file what needs
to be filed. Try organizing for a few minutes every day, and
every six months, purge your space to make sure that no
clutter ends up creeping in.

16. Being a poor listener
It can be difficult to listen in today’s world where our devices are
constantly going off and our workmates are clamoring for our
attention. But it’s really very necessary to get to know what
the boss is saying – if you don’t listen, you’re going to mess
up. Plain and simple.

Don’t interrupt – if you do, the other person will suspect that you
aren’t paying any attention to what he/she is saying. Don’t
finish the other person’s sentences for him or her; this is very
rude. Ignore everything else when someone is talking. Lastly,
after talking, summarize what you just heard or thought you
heard so you can get things clearly.


17. Losing sleep
Chronic lack of sleep takes a toll on body and mind alike. Daily
life becomes more stressful and we become less productive;
we find it harder and harder to concentrate and become
cranky, forgetful and more likely to call in sick.
If you find it hard to sleep, a lifestyle change (such as avoidance
of stimulants like alcohol, nicotine or caffeine and making the
sleeping environment comfortable, quiet, cool and dark) may
be in order. Or you may simply need to sleep more if this is
not the issue. The trick is to take action right away once a
sleep-related problem is encountered.

18. Using your personal cell phone too much
Most bosses don’t mind when they see you use your personal cell
phone from time to time. However, the more you use it, the
more obvious it is that you’re taking care of personal
business at work. In addition, people get offended hearing
other people’s private conversations.


Set a time limit for using your personal cell phone. Establish rules
– no calls at work unless it’s really urgent, for instance. Don’t
use it when other people can overhear your conversation.
Put safety first – no calling when driving. Or, just turn it off!

19. Acting like a boor at business meals
Good manners need to feel natural to you so that when a
business meal takes place, you can concentrate on business
and not on, say, which fork to use, and you won’t be
offending the people you’re eating with.
Practice your manners when eating outside the office. Plan ahead
what to eat if you can – avoid messy food. Be considerate of
others – be polite and let guests order first. Watch your
alcohol intake. Wait to begin eating until everyone is served.
Take small bites. Don’t place your elbows on the table or
lean. Pick at your teeth in the restroom. Lastly, remain
attentive to the business at hand.

Bosses Don’t Give Great Projects to Those Who Can’t
Play Nice and Get Along with Others

20. Not appreciating coworkers
Everyone has to realize that no one can do a job alone. It usually
takes a cast of hundreds to finish one important project –
from the most visible heads to the “perimeter” employees
who don’t seem to be contributing too much to the
company. We have to take the time to get to know these
people as people and appreciate their contributions to the
company.
Educate yourself about the job these people do, and include
them in the process from day one. Avoid blaming them for
frustrations. And be respectful of them, especially the ones
who’ve been with the company long.

21. Failing to delegate
Delegation is a chance for you to do the work that best grows
your skills and abilities while helping someone else do the
same. It is NOT dumping the work you don’t like onto
someone else, or asking someone else to help you with no
explanation or follow-up support.


Target the right person for you to delegate to. (Don’t delegate if
you don’t have a proper person to delegate to.) Be
supportive of your coworkers’ efforts. Set clear goals and
deadlines to make sure you stay on track. Lastly, keep
communication lines open and clear to make sure everyone
is abreast of what’s happening.

22. Being intolerant
Workers have to realize that talent comes in all kinds of
packages and that diverse teams reap all kinds of
advantages. Companies depend on the constant generation
of new and creative solutions in order to be able to compete
against some increasingly fierce competitors.
Be more aware of what you say around others. Avoid others who
appear to enjoy being discriminatory. Speak up when other
people appear to be disparaging of minorities. Lastly, be
open to criticism yourself and apologize for having been
offensive, if you are at fault.


23. Disrespecting a mentor
Mentors are senior employees who volunteer or are designated
to take more junior employees under their wing to bring
them along or help them develop. They are exceedingly
valuable; without them your career can easily stagnate if
you have no one to help you navigate the tricky paths of the
workplace; which is why such people should be given the
utmost respect.
Choose the right mentor and set the right goals. Find a mutual
benefit so that the mentor can benefit as well from
interacting with you. Pay it forward – hope and plan to help
someone else in a similar manner, someday.

24. Not getting to know others in the company
If you don’t widen your circle, you run a real risk of being less
useful to your boss and division. You limit yourself and your
potential to make meaningful impact.


To maximize interaction with others, focus on them (remember
that everyone is important or may be so in the future),
understand the challenges that come up during initial
coordination, pay attention (get an impression of the other
person to commit his or her name to memory) and foster
communication (get all relevant numbers).

25. Giving feedback that is deliberately hurtful
If the boss gets wind of you being rude or snippy towards others,
then you’re going to be considered a problem – you can’t be
allowed to join polite or important company if you might end
up treating them that way.
Make sure you know what you’re talking about before you
actually talk. Avoid personal attacks and just focus on work
and what needs to be done. Don’t judge. Finally, be realistic
and don’t offer feedback on something like appearance or
limitations.


26. Fostering an offensive workspace
While your boss wants you to be comfortable, you must
remember that your workstation is company property and
failing to make the area professional enough is tantamount
to a lack of professional responsibility.

Keep it clean and neat – always and under any circumstance.
Keep your voice (and music) down so that you don’t intrude
on others’ work. Save political, social, potentially offensive
and/or religious items for your home instead of the office.

27. Gossiping
Whether workplace gossip is true or not, it’s definitely a waste of
time and also can potentially ruin reputations even if what is
said isn’t true. It destroys trust, encourages people to lie to
one another and can lead to nasty legal battles.


Avoid being labeled a gossip by evading opportunities to listen to
or spread gossip; sticking to facts and the truth, always;
being careful with your words so that the gossips know you
aren’t just willing to chatter about anything; and live the
Golden Rule – do unto others as you want others to do unto
you.

28. Not giving – or accepting – an apology
“I’m sorry” – a simple combination of words – becomes more
complicated at work. Some avoid apologizing out of pride or
fear that it will put them in a position of weakness. Others
avoid accepting apologies out of pride as well. Either way, it
affects morale and the ability to work together.
Don’t go overboard with any of it – make a sincere apology or
receive an apology with grace. Don’t fidget, look someone in
the eye when apologizing. Keep it private; the world doesn’t
have to know about what’s going on.

Bosses Don’t Give Leadership Roles to those Who Lack
Maturity and Common Sense

29. Crying at work
It’s a mistake to do this for whatever reason you think justifies it;
crying says nothing more than “I’ve lost control.” If you feel
like you’re about to bawl, get yourself out of other people’s
vicinity. A good cry can help sometimes, but stay away from
others.
Learn what it is that triggers your tears and know when to avoid
it. Look for support from someone you can trust and depend
on. Speak up to try to let your emotions out before your
tears build up. Take care of yourself; try not to let yourself
get too stressed.

30. Caving in to a bully
Bosses expect you to handle bullies on your own. If you have to
be rescued once, it’ll most likely have to be done again.
Also, it’s a proving situation – those capable of leadership
roles have to be able to stand up for themselves.
Stay confident and alert; bullies pick on easy targets. Ignore the
lies and verbal assaults. Break through your fears and stand
up to the bully. Assert your right to be treated with respect


31. Failing to learn from mistakes
Mistakes happen to the best of us, and how we treat mistakes
really separates the grain from the chaff. Your boss is
looking beyond the error and wants to see the willingness to
not only correct it, but to develop a strategy to learn from it
and see that it doesn’t happen again.

Accept responsibility and avoid blaming someone else for the
mistake. Respond professionally and competently to it.
Investigate and consider changes; be flexible. Lastly, laugh
when you can without being hysterical or trite.

32. Being unable to overcome obstacles
Bosses always get exasperated with workers who respond so
poorly to adversity that they give up and take off the first
time the job doesn’t go exactly as they want. If you’re this
sort of person, then you’re the weakest link in the chain.


To learn to overcome obstacles, outline the worst-case scenario
(face your fears by writing down the potential pitfalls),
bounce back from obstacles and be willing to fight, envision
success, be realistic, get inputs from others, invest in
confidence and read inspirational books.

33. Having too much – or too little – confidence
Overconfidence often breeds big problems. The overconfident
are usually seen as having false bravado and are either
secretly insecure or jerks, plain and simple. Employees with
little confidence are just as troublesome; bosses must often
spend extra energy just getting them to believe that they
can get the work done at all.

Solutions: get to work and work up plans of action with
timetables; welcome challenges and set clear attainable
goals for yourself; understand that mistakes happen and
they’re just temporary detours; and get a fresh perspective
on things to help you regain equilibrium.


34. Neglecting to write things down
Bosses don’t like going over it one more time and having to
repeat to workers who fail to get it right the first time. You
interrupt their train of thought in that way. Plus, one’s
memory is a tricky thing to rely on.
Always make sure to take notes when issues are time-sensitive,
when the boss calls you into his office, when meetings are
attended, when talking on the phone and when complaints
are made. You can take better notes by practicing
beforehand, asking questions, repeating key points and
being better organized.

35. Asking for a raise you don’t deserve
Many companies are committed to rewarding employees who
deserve it. Employers are very aware of what the
competition is paying and they know that they have to pay
well to be able to retain top workers.


When asking for a raise, build your case well (look at how your
performance went above and beyond what is expected and
how your contributions really helped); get noticed; provide
documentation; and time it right (don’t do it when the boss is
too busy or when the company’s in a bit of a tight squeeze).

36. Lacking knowledge of current events
Employees are supposed to prove that they are able to grasp
the bigger picture, and if they lack this knowledge, the boss
might worry about the employee’s learning capacity. Also,
being oblivious to current events may mean you end up
embarrassing both yourself and the boss.

Tune in to the news – scan the headlines every morning, but at
least once a week, find a news magazine that will provide a
deeper look at the issue. Also try to join a civic cause or
volunteer at community activities.


37. Holding grudges
If you’re holding a grudge for a perceived injustice at work, either
big or small, then you’re stuck at it. Your feelings prevent you
from giving yourself 100% to the job.
Live in the real world – you can’t rewrite history and change how
things went. Hold yourself accountable – you might think
you’re mad at someone else, but you may be mad at yourself
for a related reason. Put things in perspective and take a
better look at the world around you.

38. Giving lackluster speeches or presentations
Being asked to make a presentation or give a speech is nothing
short of an honor; it’s a recognition that others are impressed
enough with you that they want to learn from you.
The secret is proper preparation and making sure you understand
your audience and what is expected from you. Set the agenda
and explain to the group what you’ll be doing. Manage the
time. Keep answers short and to the point. Lastly, summarize
with impact by giving a statement and a plan of action to move
forward.

Failure to Give Full Support to Your Employer Says You’re not Ready
for an Investment of Time and Resources

39. Squandering time at seminars
Bosses send employees to seminars for them to learn something; if
not from the sessions per se, then from the other attendees. If
you’re disorganized or distracted by other things, then you’re
wasting your boss’s investment in you.
Plan ahead and choose the sessions that would be best for you to
attend. Pack appropriately and organize your cards. In
general, stay organized for the duration of the seminar itself.

40. Skipping company-sponsored events
Being seen as someone who is supportive of company efforts can
boost your standing with both the boss and the boss’s boss.
Plus they’re unparalleled opportunities for networking. So
events such as these definitely should not be skipped.
Be prepared to talk and network with whoever you may meet.
Listen and learn from these people. Mind your manners and
stay supportive no matter how disagreeable the event turns
out to be.


41. Ignoring the company’s goals
Those who have a don’t-care attitude about their company’s goals
are in trouble. This sort of attitude becomes a toxic disease in
the workplace, and the boss will definitely want to eliminate the
source of that disease.
To keep focused on these goals: get into the boss’s head and
know and understand these goals. Do one better – find ways
to improve a process or operate more efficiently. Ask
questions to improve the goals. Claim projects that others
have dropped or abandoned.

42. Dodging meetings
Meetings such as these are extremely valuable learning
opportunities. You have a chance to closely watch, learn from
and listen to colleagues and bosses, as well as show yourself
off (in a subtle way of course).
Be prepared. Leave the cell phone and pager, or turn them off. Sit
beside someone different each time. Don’t keep watching the
clock; focus on the meeting. Try to participate. Don’t be shy.
Don’t be late!


43. Not going beyond your job description
Stepping outside the job description is more important than ever these
days! Companies are under terrific pressure to compete and so
they rely on their employees to know what skills they possess and
how this can help the bottom line – regardless of what their
positions or jobs or roles might be.
To add more value to your job: be a cheerleader and be supportive and
offer recognition; take action if you see something that needs to be
done; educate yourself (ask the company to help and your boss will
take notice); be fearless and show everyone you want to face new
challenges; ask for feedback.

44. Neglecting new coworkers
If the new kid on the block can’t get up to speed as quickly as possible,
everyone pays the price, the company included.
Some ways to help out include pointing out what they might need to
know or see or do; helping them jot down brief information; making
the territory familiar by pointing out places to eat and other such
landmarks; be inclusive, ask them to come along to lunch or
coffee; and be a mentor.


45. Fighting change
People are in the habit of blaming their bosses or the economy for
the stress at work. But it’s a mistake – people have to
understand that what they really stress about is change in
general. It’s not the situation; it’s your response to it that really
matters. Those who can cope with change are of course the
most valuable to an employer.
Look deep and see how you really feel about change. Avoid
blaming others. Open your mind and be open to new things,
even those you thought you’d never enjoy or even tolerate.
Build support – find open-minded people in your organization.
Take some risks and embrace new things like you did when
you were a kid. Lastly, focus on learning!

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