HMN 2025: Even bad leaders can teach good lessons

Suffering under a bad boss is a rite of passage in the workplace. Most of us have a lot of things, and we hope that whoever comes into the workplace will gain just one or two things.

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As your career progresses, you will experience yellers, micromanagers, absentees, inappropriate people, criticizers, and more. They come in all shapes and sizes, and each has its own unique way of making employees’ daily jobs miserable.

In most cases, the best solution to having a bad boss is to find a new boss, either within the company or elsewhere. We know that most people, over 80%, consider leaving a job because of a bad manager.¹ But before you find a new role, or if you’re one of those unlucky people who’s been stuck for a while, try these four exercises to turn a bad boss into a good learning experience.

Exercise 1: What to Learn no what to do

This is as simple as it sounds. Let this leader be a lesson in what you don’t want to do when you become a leader and what to look for in a future boss when you join a team or organization. This isn’t just about labeling an action and calling it a day. Let’s look at what’s driving it and start to understand what’s sending the signal.

If your boss is a micromanager, they likely lack trust and the ability to delegate. Think about yourself and what you can do to avoid exhibiting those characteristics as you become a manager. Think about what you might ask in your next job interview to determine the work style of your soon-to-be boss, and whether you can give them what they need to succeed.

Exercise 2: Observe colleagues

The second lesson is more difficult than the first. Take the time to observe how this undesirable trait is reflected in your colleagues. Watch how they react, what they say, their facial expressions, and the actions they take. The reason for this is so that you can identify it later when taking the same action.

We all try our best to be good leaders, but there are times when we fall short. It’s important to be able to recognize that you can fall into the same trap if you don’t trust your team, don’t give them the ability to do the task, and you yourself can fall into the same trap. It’s better to micromanage for a few days and then figure it out and address it than to lose a great colleague without seeing the signs until it’s too late.

Exercise 3: Observe yourself

Management is a two-way street. I hope you have a great manager who meets you where you are, nourishes you, challenges you, and helps you develop. But not all managers can or want to do that. It is important to recognize that you will also need to be flexible and adaptable to each new manager.

Think about how any of us behave when we are angry. Observe how you communicate with your managers, what they want from you, and how those same relationships work with other team members. There are often small adjustments you can make to improve your relationship with your manager, gain more trust, and move things in a positive direction. Adjusting your work style, the information you present, and the tone and quality of your work is not the same as giving in to a bad manager. Sometimes it’s a necessary step to grow, develop, and transform relationships, especially in a role, team, or company you enjoy.

Exercise 4: Identify the positives

Everyone has something they are good at and can learn from it. Even when managers were yelling or absent, they did their part by succeeding somewhere. Take the time to see what those characteristics are and learn from them. You don’t have to have a great working relationship to watch and learn how someone sells, navigates a room, and positions their team for success. Some of the greatest lessons I’ve learned have come from leaders who didn’t even know they were teaching me. This was done by observing what made them successful and adding those tools to my toolkit.

I would never tell anyone to stay in an organization that doesn’t value them or actively work to help them develop and grow, but I challenge anyone currently working for a bad boss to see what they can learn first. Finding a new job can take months. Instead of wasting time getting frustrated, take direct action. Document what you see and learn, and use your bad bosses to make you better colleagues for your next organization and the team you lead.