# How Much Do You Like Your Boss at Work? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [April 18, 2016, 11:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-do-you-like-your-boss-at-work/752603 "2016-04-18T23:31:55Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Sir\_T-Cups](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ed655f/32.png) [@Sir\_T-Cups](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sir_T-Cups)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2016, 11:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-do-you-like-your-boss-at-work/752603/1 "2016-04-18T23:31:55Z")
One of the responses in the [lottery thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=790776) is a “go in your boss’s office and tell them to fuck off!” option. When I gave my answer I didn’t read the previous responses but I said “I actually like my boss and wouldn’t say it like that at all”. I honestly thought I was being pretty original, but after reading the responses I’m seeing a lot of “I like my boss”. I’m actually quite surprised. So for this poll I’m asking how much you like your boss. Nothing super fancy, just a Likert scale to see the pulse of the 'Dope. ---
**Author:** ![Ruken](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f475e1/32.png) [@Ruken](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ruken)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2016, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-do-you-like-your-boss-at-work/752603/2 "2016-04-19T00:53:28Z")
My boss (whom I like) primarily makes my job (which I like) easier and more interesting. I’m sure she could be better; who’s perfect? So I’m saying 8 or 9 territory. ---
**Author:** ![RivkahChaya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rivkahchaya/32/8919_2.png) [@RivkahChaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RivkahChaya)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2016, 1:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-do-you-like-your-boss-at-work/752603/3 "2016-04-19T01:01:41Z")
What’s 1 and what’s 10? which way does it go? ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2016, 1:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-do-you-like-your-boss-at-work/752603/4 "2016-04-19T01:06:28Z")
I have a number of different jobs, and it’s not even clear for most of them who “my boss” is. My camp counseling job has a clear boss, and I like him well enough. At various events, I may also have a variety of other people above me, and I like most of them well enough, too. My substitute teaching, I guess the principals of the various schools are my bosses, but I basically never interact with them. Or I guess you could say it’s the individual teachers I’m subbing for, since I have to follow their lesson plans? Though I seldom get a chance to determine whether I like them or not, since I inherently don’t meet them (unless it’s on a job for someone else). My community college teaching, I have another teacher with more status who I work closely with, and I mostly follow what she’s doing since it makes things easier, but I’m not actually obligated to. My actual boss changes from semester to semester at the inexplicable whim of the administration, and again, I don’t really have much contact with any of them. And for my tutoring work, I count as self-employed, and so don’t have a boss, unless it’s the students I’m tutoring. And as a nitpick, the poll in the OP isn’t a Likert scale. First of all, a Likert scale question should be “agree or disagree”. Second and more importantly, though, a Likert scale should also have multiple questions which measure the same or related qualities, which are then added together. For instance, “My boss values my effort”, “My boss has reasonable expectations of me and my fellow employees”, “My boss clearly communicates tasks”, and so on, all of which measure how good the boss is. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2016, 1:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-do-you-like-your-boss-at-work/752603/5 "2016-04-19T01:21:30Z")
I am my own boss. I like him. ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2016, 1:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-do-you-like-your-boss-at-work/752603/6 "2016-04-19T01:49:42Z")
> [@Ruken](#): > > My boss (whom I like) primarily makes my job (which I like) easier and more interesting. I’m sure she could be better; who’s perfect? So I’m saying 8 or 9 territory. That is exactly my response, except instead of “easier” I would say “challenging”, which I like. I gave her a 10. ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2016, 1:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-do-you-like-your-boss-at-work/752603/7 "2016-04-19T01:53:07Z")
I’m the boss. Everyone loves me. I didn’t vote ---
**Author:** ![Grrr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grrr/32/146_2.png) [@Grrr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grrr)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2016, 1:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-do-you-like-your-boss-at-work/752603/8 "2016-04-19T01:53:28Z")
For me it was a maturity thing. I never much cared for anything authority all through out my teen years. and that animus sort of spilled over into my twenties. Right around after I had my son at 27, I started to get along with my bosses much better. Some of them I liked so much we would occasionally do stuff outside of work. Very rarely, but it happened. But yeah, OP needs to clarify which way the scale goes. ---
**Author:** ![Grrr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grrr/32/146_2.png) [@Grrr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grrr)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2016, 2:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-do-you-like-your-boss-at-work/752603/9 "2016-04-19T02:00:58Z")
I’ll take it a step further and say I even like my upper management, A few moths ago they installed Instant Messaging on all the computers. At our very next department meeting, the BIG boss gets up and says: “Just so y’all know… we CAN read what you all are saying to each other via IMs” He then gave us all that knowing look. _In other words… keep it professional"_ Apparently, some of my coworkers got a little carried away with themselves. But instead of disciplining people, BIG boss made light of it, while at the same time telling us to cut it out. ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2016, 2:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-do-you-like-your-boss-at-work/752603/10 "2016-04-19T02:01:05Z")
Mine used to go up to 11. I’ve been down around 3 or 4 before. Now I’ll go with a 6. Assuming 1=bad, 10=Great. ---
**Author:** ![kopek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kopek/32/337_2.png) [@kopek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kopek)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2016, 2:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-do-you-like-your-boss-at-work/752603/11 "2016-04-19T02:19:00Z")
I have multiple bosses/managers; they cycle between day of the week and month of the year. Some I would call a 11 and some more an 8 so call it 9 on the average. One thing I can and will say for each and every one; they can all do the same work I do just as well and will do so when the crap hits the fan and things must be finished NOW. That kind of ability and attitude ranks high with me. ---
**Author:** ![Trinopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/2bfe46/32.png) [@Trinopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trinopus)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2016, 2:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-do-you-like-your-boss-at-work/752603/12 "2016-04-19T02:21:40Z")
I voted ten, because six of the seven bosses I’ve had over the years were really great people, just the nicest damn bunch of supervisory personnel anyone could ever hope for. The seventh was a fucking monster, and literally drove me to drink. One of the most toxic people I’ve ever been in contact with. I need to let go of my anger (just as I eventually stopped drinking.) So I voted ten, in honor of the six who were really great bosses. ---
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2016, 2:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-do-you-like-your-boss-at-work/752603/13 "2016-04-19T02:24:46Z")
1. There were some issues the first year we started working together, but things have improved drastically since then as we’ve gotten to know each other. I much prefer the very direct style of management, I don’t take any offense to the football coach/drill sergeant type of managing. I’d much rather be told that it’s not an option, it’s an order rather than dropping hints. ---
**Author:** ![spamforbrains](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e274bd/32.png) [@spamforbrains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/spamforbrains)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2016, 2:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-do-you-like-your-boss-at-work/752603/14 "2016-04-19T02:35:24Z")
Currently I’m my own boss, and I love my management style. However, I quit my former job due to my boss who turned my formerly enjoyable job into a living hell over the course of the two years she was in charge. Four people, including me, quit. ---
**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2016, 3:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-do-you-like-your-boss-at-work/752603/15 "2016-04-19T03:14:06Z")
I voted 2. Not the worst boss I ever had, but close. ---
**Author:** ![Heracles](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/heracles/32/487_2.png) [@Heracles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Heracles)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2016, 9:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-do-you-like-your-boss-at-work/752603/16 "2016-04-19T09:37:20Z")
I voted 2 because 1 would involve murder and I haven’t quite decided on that yet. ---
**Author:** ![Ruken](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f475e1/32.png) [@Ruken](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ruken)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2016, 10:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-do-you-like-your-boss-at-work/752603/17 "2016-04-19T10:38:05Z")
> [@Northern\_Piper](#): > > That is exactly my response, except instead of “easier” I would say “challenging”, which I like. > > I gave her a 10. There are good challenges, and there there are bad challenges. She keeps HR out of my hair and deals with any number of stupid admin matters. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2016, 11:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-do-you-like-your-boss-at-work/752603/18 "2016-04-19T11:23:37Z")
No 11 option? I’m the boss. There should be an 11 option. **Mods** : get on that, I expect results by close of business today. I’m looking at you, **Asimovian** , hands outa your pockets. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Stainless\_Steel\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_stainless_steel_rat/32/5727_2.png) [@The\_Stainless\_Steel\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Stainless_Steel_Rat)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2016, 11:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-do-you-like-your-boss-at-work/752603/19 "2016-04-19T11:57:07Z")
In general I’ve liked my bosses through my career, but some of them have been…less than professional. My current boss is a great guy, smart and capable (exUSAF Colonel). But Lord, the man has no idea how to conduct a meeting, we spend 2 hours on things that should have been wrapped up in 30 minutes. And he can call you in to talk ‘for a few minutes’ and keep you there for an hour. Again, nice guy and he does try to take care of his people, but… ---
**Author:** ![Dinsdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/97f17d/32.png) [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2016, 12:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-do-you-like-your-boss-at-work/752603/20 "2016-04-19T12:08:52Z")
Personally, I don’t dislike her, but I don’t respect her apparent priorities or her expertise. She doesn’t really make my job easier, but she cultivates an environment of mediocrity in which it is easy for me to just bring my B (or C) game and still be a relative superstar. Same for her boss. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-do-you-like-your-boss-at-work/752603.md?page=2)