From the Managerial Zoo-1 - Obsolete Managers in Days of Internet of Things

Young technocrats may have to work with a number of different types of managers who seem redundant in these days of technology driven professionalism. This author tries, in this series,  to portray these  difficult  managers who do not fit in with the youngster's perspective of the digital manager. 

Animal 1: The Porcupine-Dog Cross (PDC) Manager

What happens when you work with a barking, bully manager? He is not so knowledgeable on technology, yet claims he is (MK- most knowledgeable). He has delusions about himself. 

He uses vulgar, hurtful language unbecoming of your expectation of a senior. In his stentorian tone, he lets the world know of his ' virtual, logical' knowledge. He unabashedly states that he is the repertoire of accumulated wisdom. 

Communication  from him , whether it be on the mobile or on Google talk, is  a series of lacerating jabs- . He avoids face to face meetings and takes no explanation. With prickly quills, he tramples on your ego, and your self respect. He dances on your organizational opes in a destructive disregard of your knowledge or of your effort. He bruises you to such an extent that you are rendered   incoherent even as you attend to his phone call.  The bully manager has the temerity to terrorize you through organizational hurt. At heights of his victorious  spear hurling exercises, he lets you know that  'you are good for a golden handshake' but he reiterates that he compassionately does not fire you in these days of recession. He challenges your professional etiquette to the hilt. 

To add to your  commiseration, he sometimes goes public with the brutality of his arrogance. The bully manager is convinced that he is smart. It could well be that he really might be an expert at some relevant area,  which for you is  difficult. .He marks email copies to other colleagues to show them he has cut you to size. Some in the organization applaud him - some loud with envy at your professionalism, others whimpering in whispers. seeking to curry favour with the powerful boss  You  hear all; these negative sounds hurt you even more.  Many of his minions who are self seekers in the office flatter him; (them hangers on) some of your peers look up to him  as a demi-god. That is because he  wields power. 

Think for a moment: he intimidates   because you are   a soft guy who lets him so do. He treats you as 'an exemplary weakling' with whom he can get away. It is possible that you are so subsumed by him that your personality goes in to a shell. You, with a hundred thousand wounds, un-detachable quills on your psyche  are a grievously hurt person. Do not be so upset: remember you are technologically proficient. If you are not, gather your wits and enroll yourself for a higher learning programme on line. It is degrading to be tormented.The bristles hurt all over but be wise to bide your time. It is a great risk to go out into a technologically rapid world where there are not enough jobs. So plan and execute. 

  (Excerpts from the author's manuscript on the IoT Manager. Copyright vests with  the author)