Manage Smarter 285 — Surviving Toxic Bosses with Eric Charran

HOSTED BY C. LEE SMITH AND AUDREY STRONG
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Eric Charran, the author of 'Have You Ever Had a Boss That?', delves into the complexities of navigating dysfunctional workplaces. He is also the Executive Director and Head of Product for Data at Intuit, and the Founder/​CEO of Vulcan Collaborative, with more than 25 years of experience in digital innovation and AI-​driven solutions. 

Eric discusses nine boss archetypes and offers strategies for managing up and enhancing personal effectiveness. Here's a preview:

TeamTrait behavioral assessment test
  1. The Surprised aka The Deer-​in-​Headlights Boss
  2. The Emergency Broadcaster aka The Chicken Little Boss
  3. The Complainer aka The Woe-​is-​Me Boss
  4. The Amnesiac aka The Forgetful Leader
  5.  The Firefighter aka The Crisis Junkie
  6.  The Order Taker aka The Yes-​Man (or Woman)
  7. The Raw Nerve aka The Overly Sensitive Boss
  8. The Attack Sub aka The Stealthy Saboteur
  9. The LIFO (Last in, First Out) aka The Fickle Manager

Eric goes into more detail in this episode and explains it all in his book. Listen in and learn how to thrive in challenging environments and use AI as a transformative tool. 

In this podcast for sales managers and executive leadership, Audrey Strong, C. Lee Smith and Eric Charran help you to answer:


How can employees manage difficult bosses? 

Use empathy and understanding, because leaders often lead how they were led. Eric Charran emphasizes the importance of diplomatically making bosses aware of their behaviors and working together to find solutions that benefit both parties.

What are the best strategies for managing up?

Employees can make their managers' lives easier by being a source of knowledge and support. Eric Charran suggests approaching managers with empathy and offering solutions that help both the employee and the manager succeed.

What is the Q‑Tip principle for dealing with difficult bosses? 

The Q‑Tip principle stands for 'Quit Taking It Personal,' which Eric Charran highlights as a remedy for dealing with difficult bosses. This principle encourages employees to not internalize unhelpful behaviors and instead focus on proactive solutions.

How can you use AI responsibly in the workplace? 

Think of AI as a calculator, emphasizing the importance of verifying AI-​generated results. Eric Charran advises professionals to trust but verify AI outputs, ensuring they are accurate and reliable before relying on them for critical decisions.

What inspired Eric Charran to write his book on dysfunctional workplaces? 

Eric was motivated to write his book after experiencing and observing unhelpful behaviors in the workplace. He realized that many professionals feel these behaviors are directed at them personally, but often it's just a case of leaders using the wrong tools in their toolbox.

"Many employees feel (toxic) behaviors are directed at them personally, but often it's just a matter of leaders using the wrong tools in their toolbox."

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