The Codependent Executive: Why Our Relationship with Work is Broken (Part 3)

Is your boss broken?
You may be working for a codependent executive…take the test!

Scoring:
Strongly Agree = 3
Agree = 2
Somewhat agree = 1
Don’t agree = 0

  1. Micromanagement is a nice way to describe the details my boss wants to manage.
  2. My boss’ desire to manage everything does NOT extend to using his/her time wisely.
  3. Our team is often scrambling at the last minute because our boss failed to focus on what needed to be done – when we brought it up weeks before.
  4. My boss is my boss, even when we aren’t at work.
  5. My boss is the most intense person on our team.
  6. My boss has up and down relationships with nearly everyone on the team, with one person being bosses-pet for a while and then falling out of favor to be replaced by a new favorite employee.
  7. It seems like my boss is most happy when leading the team during crisis and never lets us forget the sacrifices he/she made to get us through the crisis.
  8. My boss is always around.  Even when he/she takes time off for family vacations or to deal with health issues, he/she calls and texts, while supposedly out.
  9. My boss loves it when anyone on the team tells him/her a secret.
  10. My boss loves-loves-loves interpersonal interaction, preferring meetings, planning sessions, lunches and social events to time alone in his/her office.
  11. Everyone knows what’s happening in our boss’ life, from the biggest drama to the smallest detail.
  12. My boss loves to be loved—what other people think of him/her really matters to them.

So add up your scores from all the questions and if your boss scored 24 or higher on your quiz…I am SOOO sorry for you…

Here are some things to watch out for from your codependent executive:

  • Draws self-worth and self-identity from the job
  • Intense and unstable interpersonal relationships
  • Hates being alone
  • Often bored, even when you’ve shared things that need doing
  • Puts the job first and let’s everyone know of the sacrifice
  • Craves acceptance
  • Has a low self-worth…

Our relationship with work is broken, in part because work related stress has become a leading heath issue. Sometimes our relationship with work is broken, because our boss is broken – a tough issue because it’s not our place to fix anyone, so our relationship with work suffers as a consequence.

As always, I look forward to hearing what you think at jeff@jeffkaplan.com.

Stay connected,

-Jeff