In the work life, there's a lot said about leaders and bosses. How to be a good boss, what kind of boss are you, who was your best/worst boss, etc (I think there's even a thread on that around here somewhere!). But have you guys ever thought about the boss's perspective? I.e. what kind of subordinate are you? How do you think your boss sees you?
Willy-nilly, at the end of the day, it is important for you to know just exactly what your boss sees, and what you want him/her to see. It's going to play a really huge role in your career, trust me. Your boss sees the right picture, you're set for life. He sees the wrong picture, and you're fried for life.

I have dug deep, in my short management career, and come up with a quick and dirty profile of the three most common types of subordinates we have at work today. Note that this may be crude, as I'm no psychologist, but help me out and panel-beat the profiles to your satisfaction. Here goes:

Type A, or Motivated by Ambition: These people are usually but not always smart, but they are always ambitious. They have somewhere they are going, and it's most likely to the top of the food chain, however that is defined. They rarely give a crap about their boss, beyond recognizing that he/she is a useful tool along the way. So they either manipulate, pander to, please, humour, or in some extreme cases, even sleep with their bosses as required, so long as the boss holds up their end.

I can safely say that 90% of most achievers at work fall into this category, and usually they get what they want. Sometimes, their cover gets blown, unfortunately, by a fellow Type A boss, and then they are history, as Type As hate competition. But usually things always pan out for these guys. Safest group to be if you ask me. Oh, and by the way. These are the full-time office politicians, always working with perception.

Type B, or Judgemental: Unfortunately, I have tried and tried to make this one come out differently. But anyway here it is: This group is 99% populated by women. The 1% who are men are maybe interns or youth corpers or some other bunch of layabouts, so they don't count.

In any case, this group is typified by the fact that its members actually hold the boss in disdain. They give off this 'I don't care about you, or whatever you stand for. I'm just going to do my thing and get out at five' attitude. They do not want to be mentored by their bosses, or even pestered. They just want to do enough and go home. They have no stake in any mythical big picture, so don't even go there.

Now why did I say women? There is something queer about women, which makes this group interesting. If a woman is your subordinate, and you are a man, they tend to measure you up against their sugardaddy/boyfriend/fiance/husband. If you are less handsome/shorter/poorer/less of an achiever, no respect for you, no belief in you, sorry. They just, well, tolerate you. Even if they are nice and obedient, they still tolerate you. If the woman is ambitious and all, then the profile is not a Type B. They are Type A, and a different mindset appears altogether.

Type C, or Idealist: These ones are the truly tragic cases. Ironically, these are the best kind of subordinates any boss would want to have. They are not really ambitious, they just want to do something truly great. They love the idea of being part of the team, they look up to their bosses, they want to support and respect their team members. They are usually very open and transparent at the beginning, and end up reclusive and withdrawn, after being attacked by the rabid Type A ambition, and the sarcasm of Type Bs. But they usually stay true to their ideals . . . and end up as the brains of the operations, usually kept in the back drawer until a brain is really needed, which isn't often in corporate Nigeria.


Recent Update - Type D, or I-Don't-Care: This category is usually the most misunderstood of all the categories. These people are not out to change the world, in fact in many cases they have other interests that take priority over work. So they're not really down with anything. They just do their work, mind their business, give nothing extra, and go on their way. They have no desire to join the corporate rat race, and are merely working for the immediate gains. It has been typical for Type As and Cs to assume this category is full of dumb people, since the Type Ds don't seem to be motivated by anything the work environment has to offer. Personally, I think this is the best category you can be in.

But you know what? Type A and Type C Managers love to hire Type Cs above all others. Type As because they need ignorant mules to do the heavy lifting, and Type Cs because, as idealists, they need people around them who buy into their vision, and will support their ideas.
Because all these things are unfortunately tied to one's nature, no matter how much you try to change or wish you fall into another category, you are who you are. But let me ask the house. Where do you think you stand?

i don't fall into any of em - but i know i'm in deep deep trouble with my current boss

oyb:

i don't fall into any of em - but i know i'm in deep deep trouble with my current boss

Dis guy, I just dey feel you. You be real thinker ooo. I go put you next to Obama on my role models list.

nice thread, two thumbs for ajekoko, i hope i got that rite
anyway i dont really know where i fall in but i guess i am ambitious and sometimes challenge the status quo if i feel things are not cranking up a little,i think this brought me at logger heads with my present "boss" ,i hate to call him boss cos we all were recruited together and due to Godfatherism and tribal preference ,he was elevated to a post mearnt for expatriates!!!.
we have had issues on work process flow and sometimes personall difference,due to this complex of him been a HND holder and me a Beng, , very trival u might say,so to get back at me he promotes staff that are less competent than me with little or no experience because he can control and manipulate them!!!, which he can never try with me!!,
what he does now is to use newly hire green horns who he feels he can control to monitor me anytime i am on my system ,to know if i am sending mails to the HR about this,
i remain unpertubed cos a golden fish has no hiding place, i intend moving to another coy by GODS grace two months from now, so much for insubordination!!!

okeyz:

nice thread, two thumbs for ajekoko, i hope i got that rite
anyway i dont really know where i fall in but i guess i am ambitious and sometimes challenge the status quo if i feel things are not cranking up a little,i think this brought me at logger heads with my present "boss" ,i hate to call him boss cos we all were recruited together and due to Godfatherism and tribal preference ,he was elevated to a post mearnt for expatriates!!!.
we have had issues on work process flow and sometimes personall difference,due to this complex of him been a HND holder and me a Beng, , very trival u might say,so to get back at me he promotes staff that are less competent than me with little or no experience because he can control and manipulate them!!!, which he can never try with me!!,
what he does now is to use newly hire green horns who he feels he can control to monitor me anytime i am on my system ,to know if i am sending mails to the HR about this,
i remain unpertubed cos a golden fish has no hiding place, i intend moving to another coy by GODS grace two months from now, so much for insubordination!!!

You're probably a Type A or Type C. From the sound of it, you're a Type A.

@Ajanlekoko, nice post. Addressing the very thoughts some of us are afraid to think about. :-) but now am thinking.
Certain am not in Category A or B :-)

These days I'm not even sure what kind of subordinate I am, cos my direct boss is giving me serious gap

^^

That's what I thought as well, I can drift into anyone of them easily- depending on how late the train arrives in the morning or _{should that be how late i get to the train station in the morning}

I am a cross between A and C. I'm smart , ambitious but do buy into the ideals/dreams of whatever organisation i join while not losing sight of my own goals. I work as unto the Lord When i got my first job, my then mentor advised never to align with the negative and naysayer types - those people that pollute your spirit and try to draw you into their circle . That advice has stood me in good stead and i'm still aspiring to more.

Who i'm i

iice:

@Topic
I don't think i fit in any category

Hmm, I should create a Type D, actually, where I think you might fit in.
The Let Me Be category.

iice:

Loool  I first thought a mixture of all three, but as i was analyzing, it didn't see likely.
But i like that category. . .'let me be'
How would you describe them aside from the obvious

This would be the Indifferent category. No lofty ambitions, no illusions, just want to get in every day, put in their bit and get out. No drama.

Not working yet but when i am,guess i'd love to be a mixture of type A and c.

I think I am an hybrid of Type C and A. About 70% C and 30% A. For example, I am on the back end trying to string the loose-ends together at the moment.

Definitely Type D. I am not ambitious at all. Thats why I love my previous boss for sacking me! If no be for the guy, man for still dey call centre now. I love what I am doing at the moment and the pay is good.

oyb:

i don't fall into any of em - but i know i'm in deep deep trouble with my current boss

Hope you didn't poach his love interest

@AJ, Great topic you raised here because so much seems to be discussed about the 'Bosses' all the time.

In as much as we are humans that cannot be pinned down to a single behavioural pattern, after reminiscing on my attitudes towards bosses all my working life,
I think if you remove the part   "So they either manipulate, pander to, please, humour, or in some extreme cases, even sleep with their bosses as required, so long as the boss holds up their end", i will be comfortable in A.

I don't get too close to my bosses and i still always get whatever i want, what i know is that i always show them genuine love, take genuine interest in their visions and their families, never boot licking.

im definitely a type A, with a sprinkle of type C. thanks poster for this. had to read all categories first

very interesting topic.

In my team, we have had several discussions about our boss and how bad she is, buit to be honest mos of the complaints come from teh Type B's who are always nagging abt something, not wanting to do much work, always discussing abt the perks of office and are prompt to leave the office at 5pm even if there is a crisis. I know we all have our issues but Type B's , shakes head

cecegorz:

Hope you didn't poach his love interest

@AJ, Great topic you raised here because so much seems to be discussed about the 'Bosses' all the time.

In as much as we are humans that cannot be pinned down to a single behavioural pattern, after reminiscing on my attitudes towards bosses all my working life,
I think if you remove the part   "So they either manipulate, pander to, please, humour, or in some extreme cases, even sleep with their bosses as required, so long as the boss holds up their end", i will be comfortable in A.

I don't get too close to my bosses and i still always get whatever i want, what i know is that i always show them genuine love, take genuine interest in their visions and their families, never boot licking.

And why do you do those if not to be on the good side of your boss. It might be genuine and all but most people especially in the Nigerian working environment have follow thier oga jeje. Unless they have power full connections in the workplace that is when you will see an NYSC corper openly challenging his Oga.

hmmm

hi everyone ive been a non interactive viewer on nairaland and i agree with marjo . Although one has to save the bosses ass a lot of times before he appreciates ones worth.

nice thread, I wonder how I managed to miss it.

I think I'm a cross between A and C, I have idealist leanings, but more than anything, I know what I want out of a job and I go for it!

i pray i will never experience such in my life style,but is not too far from human is just like MR DEATH.

@Ajanlekoko. I like your thread. it is either you have really studied people in the work environment or you have read widely. either way let me add some few lines.

reason i am a TYPE D subordinate: I am a realist. I know i cant work forever. it is either i leave the job or the job leaves me someday so why do i need to pretend? this well known fact to type A, B and C is an illusion. They never stop to think about their own future and when they do, they quickly knock it off by concentrating on a better pay or a higher post. @ netotse

Robert Kiyosaki would advice, "Mind Your Business". Not in the traditional way we say it to abuse people but it connotes that we find a business of our own and build it. See, dont be deceived, no matter how hard you work for a paid cheque, listen to what Oprah Winfrey said. "No pay cheque can give the satisfaction you can ever get by being who you're meant to be" like @norris man.

A job is an acronym for Just Over Broke. you work hard a whole month to get what they think you're worth and that month is gone forever so long you have been paid. But your business may yield perpetual income even when you are through with the deal. Dont we all still listen to African Queen by Tu Face?

I was at Idanre over the weekend and saw massive hills that are not even mountains and heard God in my innner mind saying " say ye unto this mountain that it should be moved from here to yonder" nothing is impossible. Financial freedom is the essence of not being in jail. we can all be rich if only we tap into our passion. i am a banker and i know the type of people that bring cash to the bank are not in all categories quoted by Ajanlekoko. i dont really care by being laid off, in fact, help me out, lay me off! i win either way!!

please read between the lines.

@AdeCisco
i dont plan to work forever o. . .i just need to get enough skill/knowledge and credibility. . .i like you post BTW

i like motivational dreamers speakers I really do, I swear!