Well, you've grouped both good and bad qualities in both managers, then decided Boss A is better. In fact, Boss A might be a more productive manager, but you have no facts to back your assumptions, other than your own opinion. That you have made composites that mix qualities together only further clouds the actual thinking about which manager is 'better'.
For instance, a Harvard Business Review article from several years ago did a productivity analysis of management styles, and found that the Performance style, the one that fires people if they don't measure up, was significantly less productive, only less so was the Critical manager. The most productive management styles were the Authoritative, Democratic, Affiliative, and Coaching styles. A single article is not sufficient to prove the validity of anything.
A second criticism is that feeling-sensitive management styles are definitely better, it just depends on the group it manages; specifically programming teams might be best managed by people sensitive to emotions, rather than logical-inexpressive types.
James Igoe
of NY
@
Oct 19, 2008 10:07:53 AM
Is you job a social affair?
or a necessity?
I always preferred a raise to praise.
HillbillyBill
of TN
@
Oct 12, 2008 06:58:36 AM
If boss A is the owner, fine. He or she probably knows what he or she is doing, and is being honest. Not too many owners do the boss B thing TO EXCESS, because they cannot afford to, and/or would not have attained success if they had done so TO EXCESS. They HAVE to make hard choices.
If you're working for a boss A type who is merely a mid-level hired person, look out.
He or she is probably merely trying to emulate some old military style and such a person can turn unfairly negative on you in a heartbeat. Be wary of an owner who allows others to do the Boss A thing. Such behavior should be reserved for the owner, not the Lieutenant, First Sgt., etc.
James Igoe of NY @ Oct 19, 2008 10:07:53 AM
HillbillyBill of TN @ Oct 12, 2008 06:58:36 AM
of @ Oct 10, 2008 12:45:05 PM
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