I got the idea to write this one after reading Vishal’s hilarious post. I have encountered different types of bosses in my 10 year old career. Thought I would list down the ‘type’ of bosses who have been the most interesting.
The Yeller – I was unfortunate enough to get this boss at the very beginning of my career. I guess we all know how sensitive we are at our first jobs. We are not used to criticism and take every negative thing to heart. So just imagine my plight, here I was being yelled at every five minutes (mostly without any fault). I took it all for exactly 1 month and 7 days. Finally I lost my cool and threw the papers I was carrying on my boss’ face. Then I ran out of the cabin, picked up my purse and fled. Did not even go back for my 7 day’s salary. But no regrets, it was worth it!
The Lalaji – My second job had me reporting to a lalaji who had 14 cars and a house in the poshest colony of New Delhi. But he brought the newspapers he had read in the morning at home to keep at the office reception. He used to give me a missed call when he had to speak to me so that I could call him back from the landline (in those days outgoing for Rs. 8 and incoming was Rs. 1). And God forbid if he ever found a sheet of paper used only on one side thrown away!
The Henpecked – This one had a theatre actor-cum-director wife. She took her theatre group to different parts of the country and also abroad. And since theatre people are always short on money she used her husband’s office staff to do all her co-ordination part. At first I was only too happy to help (for someone like me even theatre was glamorous). But there came a point when I realized I was devoting 80% of my time to her work. To express her gratitude for my ‘help’ she used to give me free tickets to her shows. It did not take me long to realize that she was not doing me any favour as most of the time there was negligible audience and by filling the hall with her husband’s office staff she was saving her own face!
The Flamboyant – This guy is the loudest person I have ever met. Whenever he laughed, the whole office jumped. His normal voice was loud enough to be heard from the other side of a football field. The person he had to work closely with was a European who spoke in such a low voice that it was barely more than a whisper. It was always a hilarious sight to see them having a discussion.
The Jugadu – The typical jugadu Indian. He believed in saving money at all costs. He wanted 3 quotes for everything. He always knew somebody who could do the same work at a lesser price. 6 months after I left the company I found out that there was a fire in the office building – my jugadu boss had scrimped on servicing of some machinery in the basement.
Jokes apart I have learnt a lot from all my bosses and look up to most of them. But then does anything give as much satisfaction as making fun of your boss?