Curious Cat Management Improvement Dictionary

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Pointy Haired Boss (PHB) - Dilbert's Boss. The pointy haired boss personifies poor management.

The pointy haired boss vividly illustrates what so many see in the actions of their bosses: clueless, trendy (follows whatever drivel the business consultant proposes), disrespect for employees, master of using jargon that he obviously doesn't understand, unswayed by logic (inability to even comprehend what logic has to do with it).

The resonance so many feel with the employees of the PHB should make managers nervous. However, it sure wouldn't make the PHB nervous. So, if you are a manager and not nervous that you are a PHB maybe that means you are.

From the Dilbert web site:

He's every employee's worst nightmare. He wasn't born mean and unscrupulous, he worked hard at it. And succeeded. As for stupidity, well, some things are inborn. His top priorities are the bottom line and looking good in front of his subordinates and superiors (not necessarily in that order). Of absolutely no concern to him is the professional or personal well-being of his employees. The Boss is technologically challenged but he stays current on all the latest business trends, even though he rarely understands them.

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