My new boss is obsessive compulsive...HELP!!

[glencatman]

I am employed at a casino where I live, and I have been there for five years. I do cleaning work there. The casino had their own housekeeping crew until they hired a contracted company to take over the duties. Everyone on that team quit except me. I really had to connive with my new boss to keep my hours basically the same. Today he went around the casino with me to give me the rundown on the duties I was to perform. He went on to boast about how the new company was so much better than the previous crew, even though the casino had the second highest rating of cleanliness in the whole province of Alberta where I live. I tried to tell him that, but he came out with statements such as "if you think this place was clean, then you don't know what clean is" and "If you can tell me this was a clean place, then you are in the wrong business." That was a huge blow to my morale, because I've been doing that work off and on for about 33 years, and I was always told that I was doing a good job, I have had certificates of commendation from the GM, and I was twice nominated for employee of the month, and then this new guy starts putting me down and maligning  me and telling me that there have been complaints about my work from the department heads, which I have NEVER heard about. Nothing but total put-downs, like that was supposed to motivate me. After that spiel he admitted to having OCD. Sounds like he's not playing with a full deck and is trying to BS me and intimidate me. I've been thinking about talking to the Gm about the whole thing...should I do that? or should I just go on with my work and not take him seriously? Either way, I have been updating my resume. Thanks for letting me rant.

 

[MoochNNoodles]

There is nothing worse at work than having an unappreciative boss; who nothing is ever good enough for. 

Do you have a good relationship with the GM?  I would be afraid of how it might backfire.  You definitely have to be sure your work is done to the best of your abilities if you are going to complain.

 

[swampwitch]

You've had decades of bosses commend you on your good work, why in the world would you let ONE jerk's comments undermine your confidence? And the guy is OCD to boot? Yikes, an extremely stressful future awaits you working under this guy.

Your title asks for help, so my advice is to get a new job, do it yesterday!

 

[denice]

I think the put downs have more to do with his ego then OCD.  So many people believe that putting others down makes them look better.  When it's coworkers they are the backbiters and gossips.  When they are managers they act like this person.  Unfortunately I have not found a way to change the dynamics it just is what it is.  I just try to be thick skinned about it and continue to do the best that I can, leave work at work and don't take it home with me.  

 

[nurseangel]

I am so sorry.   I know your frustration from personal experience.  I go by an old saying "consider the source" and this helps me.  Just remember that ignoring someone doesn't mean you agree with their asinine opinions.  I have a feeling that if this person continues to bray on, other people will notice and start thinking him a joke.  At least, that's what has happened in my situation.  Good luck, don't let him shake your confidence, and keep us posted.

 

[glencatman]

 
There is nothing worse at work than having an unappreciative boss; who nothing is ever good enough for. 

Do you have a good relationship with the GM?  I would be afraid of how it might backfire.  You definitely have to be sure your work is done to the best of your abilities if you are going to complain.

The GM is the one who has complimented me the most.

 

[glencatman]

I'm not saying that I'm perfect. Some supervisors in the past have pointed out areas where I could pay more attention to certain details, and I'm willing to take constructive criticism where it's due. I've come to the decision that I'll do my my best to live up to his expectations without breaking my neck for the low pay and no benefits, and if he can't be pleased , then I'll write him off as a buffoon that is not to be taken seriously. Meanwhile, I'll work on my resume and refresh my job hunting skills.

 

[MoochNNoodles]

That sounds like a good plan.  

 

[lorie d.]

 
I'm not saying that I'm perfect. Some supervisors in the past have pointed out areas where I could pay more attention to certain details, and I'm willing to take constructive criticism where it's due. I've come to the decision that I'll do my my best to live up to his expectations without breaking my neck for the low pay and no benefits, and if he can't be pleased , then I'll write him off as a buffoon that is not to be taken seriously. Meanwhile, I'll work on my resume and refresh my job hunting skills.

  Where I work we have the exact same time of situation  

expect the supervisor isn't OCD  as far as we know.  And we've all come to the same conclusion that you did.   We have always thought of ours as a buffoon, or worse, it seems to be such a fitting way to describe this type of person.  

 

[jtbo]

I have had such bosses sometimes, what has gotten rid of them is my line "are you FFFF retarded emotional idiot?".

Yeah, it has some drawbacks though, like no more hours, no more paycheck and no more work, but hey, I rather live under the bridge than am being some sick person's toy!

Of course it is I who has the attitude issue, but really I don't think anyone should allow other person to have power over them, especially when boss is misusing that power.

So nobody and anything should ever have control over me, that is what I have learned, them who try are probably just little weaklings afraid of real world and I really just ignore them. All this has of course added some challenges to my already challenged life, but I simply cannot accept of such bosses, there is nothing wrong in working towards common goal and such, but those obsessive bosses, I really can't even be in same building with such, I have seen too many of them to remain civil towards them.



For me it sounds like your new boss is quite insecure, perhaps afraid of his job, or maybe a fresh one, that tries way too hard to get workers to their best. Some people get really sick *******s when they have bit of pressure, who knows maybe some of that.
Bottom line is that boss that is giving such treatment to worker is very incapable boss, lacking essential skills to lead workers to best performance, so either things don't look good for that boss or whole team, anyway best option would be look something else as there are no guarantees about things getting better after situation escalates, which probably will happen because of boss being incapable.

I have been a boss too and there are things you can say and things you can't say, boss has to know those things, if not there is no way to get team performing well which easily means lost customers and that is bad business really.

Buffoon, don't know that word but it does sound very much of something describing such bosses

Things are of course never as easy as just switch a job, there are also emotional ties to work, there is no guarantee that new place would be any better, also it is not very easy to get a new job.

I did see a tv-show once that had Burger King boss pretending to be new employee and he found out that place he got into had such buffoon as a boss, Burger King boss was shocked so much that he did fire that buffoon very quickly.

Someone might of course anonymously report this buffoon's way of 'leadership' to higher ups and maybe there might be some changes? Sadly higher ups probably would find it difficult to believe and things might get just worse, but sometimes such improves things.

So if you think things are enough bad to walk out, there is no harm reporting to higher ups, but remember to be prepared that things might get worse then, does not happen always, but sometimes and it is better to have plan B then.

Also biting tongue and just tolerating is not good, I did try that, after few years I was quite sick, I don't recommend that, tragedies are pawed with tolerating bad situations for too long.

 

[glencatman]

This idiot boss just decreased my hours by 2 hours less per week for no explained reason. I have done nothing but good for the casino, plus, I think I helped him keep his contract by going the extra mile before one of the head honchos paid a visit to the establishment. I think the new boss and I are headed for one hell of a confrontation, unless I talk to the head honcho first and get his opinion on the cleanliness of the building. If this new boss wants to go out of his way to sh*t on me, I'll see to it that he pays a steep price for it!  If he's going to be a nut case, I don't think I get paid enough to be his phsycoanalist!

 

[denice]

Part of what he is evaluated on probably involves costs.  If he can lower costs and still get the job done that is a big brownie point for him, makes him look really good on paper.  If the company gives bonuses that is a sure way for him to get a bonus, the company can use part of the savings for his bonus.  Cutting labor costs is unfortunately the go to for cutting costs.  It's an easy way of doing it, management has to think a little bit to cut costs in other ways.  I don't know what the employment situation is like where you are but I would definitely be looking for something else.

 

[jtbo]

Sometimes lowering quality of work is even wanted development, that is crazy, but that is how it is, if they can keep customers and get same amount of money with lowering quality and preferably worker hours, then that is what they will do.

I can't do such, I would feel very ashamed of such, but I guess some bosses don't have that part in soul that guides to do right. These days competition makes things even sicker so that there is no room for honest people anymore or that is what I have faced many times.