Bob Sutton laments his label as “the asshole guy.” But, some are born great, some achieve greatness and some have labels thrust upon them. Sutton published The No Asshole Rule a few years ago, in which he revealed the costs of keeping asshole employees and the benefits of ditching them. In Good Boss Bad Boss, he tackles the ultimate workplace jerk: bossholes (asshole + boss).
In many ways, the book recaps a lot of Sutton’s old ideas but re-presents them through the lens of boss. The boss role is almost a breeding ground for bossholes because we often judge them solely on their ability to get results. Sutton, and many others, argue that bosses must be judged by their results and how their followers feel in the process of getting those results. Using this as the measuring stick, Sutton outlines seven core habits that the best bosses do, and fills each chapter with case studies and amusing stories that prove that good bosses do things that bad bosses don’t do (the corollary is also true).
If you’re a boss, someone who manages others, than Good Boss Bad Boss is a worthwhile read. It’s a short course on Sutton’s work that will reveal how to be a boss who gets results, and good reviews.

