The Bad, the Good, and the Consequences

A Management Case Study

by Brandon Jubar

I have worked for many bosses over the years, but two in particular stand out from the rest. One, because he was so good to work for. The other, because he was so bad. Like many things in life, we can learn a great deal by examining both good and bad examples of managing people.

The Bad: Mark Madden

Once upon a time, in a factory far, far away, I worked for a guy named Mark Madden. Well, not really. I've changed his name to protect the guilty. But let's just call him Mark anyway.

I was a production foreman in a manufacturing plant. It was a high-pressure job, and required a great deal of perseverance to make it through some days. With competing demands and recurring difficulties, it was almost impossible to accomplish the tasks to which I was assigned. And that was before Mark came on the scene.

Mark Madden was the type of boss who causes you to wonder why God makes certain people. Mark was arrogant, condescending, and treated his direct reports as if we were imbeciles. He always focused on the negative in any situation, and had a way of making you feel rotten even after you had accomplished something good.

With Mark, it didn't matter if you asked for permission or forgiveness. Either one would get you yelled at. If you asked his advice, you were berated for not being able to make a decision. If you made a decision that he did not like, then you were chastised for not "keeping him in the loop." Whatever the case, we could never seem to please him.

All of the people who reported to Mark did what needed to be done in order to run the job. But that was all we did. Fear motivated us just enough to squeak by. And there was absolutely no reason in our minds to go above and beyond the bare necessities.

The Good: Gary Goodfellow

In another of the factories where I worked, I reported to a gentleman I'll call Gary Goodfellow. Now Gary was almost the opposite of Mark. He supported us when we needed it, and he gave us breathing room when we were doing fine.

If we asked for advice, he'd sit down and talk it through with us, helping us to arrive at a viable solution. When we'd make a decision on our own he'd stand behind us all the way... even if he didn't completely agree.

I can remember a time when Gary took the heat for a decision I had made. He was blamed for my blunder, but he never said a word to his superiors about who had actually messed up. When the ruckus died down, he and I had a long talk about why I made the decision, how things went wrong, and what I could do differently in the future.

After that, I tried even harder to do an excellent job for Gary. Not because I was afraid of him, but because I respected him and did not want to let him down. I wasn't punished or belittled for making a mistake. I was shown respect, given encouragement, and offered a little dash of wisdom. It was a recipe that cooked up some high performance from yours truly.

The Consequences

As Christians, we should easily see the lessons that can be learned from these two bosses.

When we treat people poorly, showing them no respect, they will not respect us in return. Jesus taught that we should respect all people. Not just our peers, or those "above" us. Even the lowliest person is a child of God.

We cannot expect people to go the distance for us when we attack them verbally and heap undeserved blame on them. But when we back them up, supporting them no matter what, we will earn their trust and loyalty.

Jesus did that for us. He didn't punish us or belittle us. He left his Word and his Church to help teach us and guide us. Jesus let us make our decisions, and then he took the blame. And on a Friday afternoon, high atop a hill called Golgotha, he backed us up.

Now it's our turn to go the distance for him... in all that we do.

Life Applications:

Think of a "bad" boss you've had. What was it you didn't like?
Think of a "good" boss you've had. Why was she or he good?
What type of boss do you want to be? How do you treat people?

Copyright 2002 by Brandon Jubar
All rights reserved.