Why are business managers more hostile, grandiose and self-important than owners?

[AmateurBusinessman]

Why are business managers more hostile, grandiose, self-important, and --at times-- toxic than owners?

When it comes to businesses -- from what I've seen-- business managers act more negatively, outrageous, and controlling than their employers --even if their employers are similar in behavior. They act more cruel to employees, clients, customers, and co-workers, act as if the business is their own versus the owners, and seem to do so with reckless abandon.

I've --in the past-- heard them say things like they don't care if the business suffers due to their behavior. as long as they still get paid their standard wages. So --in other words-- they don't care if the business sees a drop in sales, income, revenue, reputation, incurs lawsuits, or gets inundated with complaints --as long the business owner will suffer the consequences, and they don't personally feel any long or short term effects of them and still receive their standard pay provided it isn't consciously disrupted or cut off.

Do they behave that way due to lack of supervision? Instructions to take on those personality characteristics? General lack of empathy? Is the average business manager just someone as mentioned? The characteristics mentioned are inherent to their type of person?

[Harold Mansfield]

Why are business managers more hostile, grandiose, self-important, and --at times-- toxic than owners?

When it comes to businesses -- from what I've seen-- business managers act more negatively, outrageous, and controlling than their employers --even if their employers are similar in behavior. They act more cruel to employees, clients, customers, and co-workers, act as if the business is their own versus the owners, and seem to do so with reckless abandon.

I've --in the past-- heard them say things like they don't care if the business suffers due to their behavior. as long as they still get paid their standard wages. So --in other words-- they don't care if the business sees a drop in sales, income, revenue, reputation, incurs lawsuits, or gets inundated with complaints --as long the business owner will suffer the consequences, and they don't personally feel any long or short term effects of them and still receive their standard pay provided it isn't consciously disrupted or cut off.

Do they behave that way due to lack of supervision? Instructions to take on those personality characteristics? General lack of empathy? Is the average business manager just someone as mentioned? The characteristics mentioned are inherent to their type of person?

I think you're just dealing with crappy businesses. Business owners are just people. People have varying personalities. If you don't like a business, don't deal with them. It's that simple.

[vangogh]

What Harold said. Business owners and business managers are people and they have different personalities. You're also seeing this from a single perspective, yours. Before working for myself, I worked a lot of different jobs. Sometimes I liked the people I knew in management and sometimes I didn't.

One thing to keep in mind about anyone in management is that by the definition of their job, they're in a somewhat antagonistic role to the employees under them. You want to spend 5 minutes chatting with a co-worker while getting coffee. Your manager wants you sitting at your desk working.


I've --in the past-- heard them say things like they don't care if the business suffers due to their behavior. as long as they still get paid their standard wages

I don't know how many people you've actually heard say things like that. My guess is one, possibly two. You can't generalize an entire group of people based on what you know about one or two or even a handful. I have a hard time imagining anyone who cares about their job saying that they don't care about the business as long as they get paid. I've had plenty of jobs, where I felt exactly that way, but I was smart enough not to say it to anyone I worked with, other than close friends.

I don't think what you're describing is something universal to management. I think it's something you've observed in at most a handful of people each with their own personal issues.

[Fulcrum]

Because the owners/CEO'S allow them to be like that.

[tallen]

Some people believe that the only way for themselves to get ahead is to push other people down.

[Freelancier]

I think someone needs a new company to work for.

[billbenson]

Generally s*** roles down hill. If you have an owner that is a dick, all of the people below him will be dicks. I've seen it plenty of times in companies I called on as a field sales guy.

Personally, I've only had one unlikeable boss. I always tried to make friends with my boss with success. For the unlikeable boss, I quit.

[Paul]

Being hostile, grandiose, self-important, and toxic as a manager is sometimes appropriate. I am a big believer in the Dale Carnegie style of management, motivational, supportive etc. But I have been in situations when an iron fist approach was absolutely necessary. It often depends on the business, the types of employees, how employees respond and other factors. It is a question of the best way to generate production. On the other hand some people are just plain nasty and it goes to their heads when they have authority.

As Vangogh suggested, I’m also not convinced the OP actually did ever hear a manager say those things. You’d have to be pretty dumb to announce those feelings in the workplace.

Based on the last two posts by the OP it seems he may just have an issue in general with employer/employee relationships. As everyone has said, in fairly clear language, if you don’t like your employer then just move on down the road.

[Bobjob]

I would think a business manager who acted this way acts this way outside of work, overly alpha, large ego. But they could be hostile cause every time they turn around another employee is whining about something. And they might be grandiose and self important because they are running the show.

I can't say I remember meeting someone as extreme as you pose but I'm sure they are out there.

[Harold Mansfield]

After years in the Hospitality business in 3 different states I'm a big fan of the "people are adults" style of management. You don't have to rule with an iron fist or follow anyone's books or strategy. People are grown ups and I expect them to act like grown ups or they're gone.

Treat them with respect, make sure they understand their job and responsibilities, and that they have the tools and training to do the job.
After that, show up on time, be awesome at your job, treat customers and your co-workers with respect, and when the shift is over go home or play softball or drink or whatever it is you do to unwind. See you tomorrow.

[Paul]

True in most situations, particularly in middle class jobs that are clear cut. Most of those employees are responsible and just want to make a living and work in decent conditions. However, there are very different situations that do require alternate management styles.

It usually involves either the lower pay scale and least skilled employees who begrudge the boss, the system and work in general and do all they can to do as little as possible at all times or the other extreme of the high energy “producers’, sales and dealmaker types who will walk all over you if they can. Either bunch can eat you alive if you let them.

In line with your comments, I have found sometimes that it is important for employees to not only know WHAT their job is but also WHY their job is. If you tell a guy his job is to stand in one spot and turn a crank all day he may not be too motivated. But, if you explain that turning the crank is important because it pumps the oil that runs the machines that make the product that the company sells to be able to pay the employees it sometimes helps a little.