When a manager and their boss struggle to work together, it’s dismissed as a “personality clash”. However, while a mismatch in personalities can be an issue in the workplace, this is usually only part of the picture. Often, the greater issue comes down to the relationship between both parties, and its inherent assumptions and expectations.
More often than not, at the heart of the conflict is a failure to recognise that the relationship relies on mutual dependence. Managers and their bosses rely on each other, and in the absence of a healthy level of mutual dependence, this usually results in either counterdependence or overdependence.
The manager may come to resent their boss, and even rebel against their authority, a pattern of counter dependent behaviour which is rarely productive. At the other end of the scale, managers may be overly compliant when dealing with their boss, which can mean that the subordinates don’t speak up when they arguably should, and can lead to poor decision making.
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