Dealing with a Boss Who Gets Too Big For His Britches

"Too big for his britches" is one of those old sayings that stands the test of time. While I haven't heard or read it much lately, it deserves its moment in the sun. And so we resurrect it in the context of the last two entries we've discussed from the Rule of St. Benedict.

Recall that those addressed bosses whose bad behavior creates unacceptable disruption in the workplace. But, as is always the case with St. Benedict, he doesn't just describe the wrongdoing, he provides instructions for redress of wrongs. And he never pulls his punches.

Can some of his recommendations seem a bit extreme these days? Sure. For example, he recommends corporal punishment to address various offenses. Typically, he reserves this for those who refuse other methods of correction. Nevertheless, corporal punishment is off the table in our workplace. Heck, even parents can't "use the rod" on their children (a Biblical prescription, by the way) these days. 

Still, we can find some applicable remedies to use in our workplace from the Rule. Indeed, when addressing the out-of-control prior we find an interesting pattern.

The first remedy is to avoid the situation altogether - to head the problem off at the pass:

"If it be possible, let all the affairs of the monastery be administered by deans under the control of the abbot, as we have already arranged. The business being thus shared by many, no individual will become proud."

We can apply this to our own workplace. For example, spreading responsibility and its twisted sister power around sufficiently will prevent a single individual from growing too big for his (or her) britches. 

Of course, this applies more to bigger companies. If you've ever worked for one of these, you may have witnessed the executive who spends much of his waking working hours scheming to expand a kind of mini-empire. One typical method is amassing a growing phalanx of underlings. It goes like this: more reports, more power.

This eventually creates envy, resentment, and accompanying disruption in the workplace. A wise superior would prevent this before it becomes a serious problem. Reward for meritorious action that benefits the business, not activities that build ever-more-powerful egos.

Of course, sometimes there may be, for various reasons, one big banana who issues directives. One reason: a small business. Depending on the size, there may be no room for underlings like deans, or even something like the prior. The guy (or gal) who owns the business (the abbot) is in charge of everyone and everything. 

An extreme personal example: My own little business has never had more than one employee. Even were I to have need of more, it's unlikely anyone would be the equivalent of a prior, never mind a dean. It's just not necessary. But being a sole boss doesn't entail being a dictator or taskmaster, or any other variation of obnoxious or oppressive beings. (And there are plenty of those out there.)

St. Benedict's Rule applied to monasteries of all sizes. Hence his allowance for multiple layers of appointees, depending on the size and need of any particular monastery. But whatever the circumstances of any monastery, whoever wielded authority must always comport themselves impeccably - or else. And so he supplies various remedies to right any wrongs done by a wayward boss.

Of course, if you're working in a small business run by a martinet (now there's a spicy old term you don't see much), your recourse may be limited. You won't be the one applying any remedies. Maybe you just need to find another situation. But any conscientious boss would know the limits that must constrain words and actions directed towards building and sustaining the bottom line. Profit at any cost can't be a formula for a good boss. 

So if he or she, in St. Benedict's words, "is deceived by pride or behave arrogantly," they need correcting. And in the case of the sole boss, it behooves them to self-correct - if they know what's good for their soul.

Of course, this could be wishful thinking. A clueless boss with no one to apply correction may pretty much do as they please. But they would do well to heed St. Benedict's remarks.

In the end, he goes so far as to boot the culprit out of the monastery. Frankly, a bad boss, if he does not follow the sort of guidance the Rule provides, will likely wind up with a self-booting of having a business that won't thrive, may even fail. 

Best to learn the methods and habits of being a good boss, don't you think?