Introducing the Terrible Office Tyrant™ (TOT)!
Is your boss a Terrible Office Tyrant — a TOT — who can revert to a helpless toddler, or worse, a tantrum-prone bully? TOTs are everywhere, but don't panic! TOT taming guru Lynn Taylor is here to help.
"There are many striking parallels between difficult bosses and children — and almost all executives behave this way at some point," Taylor explained. "The difference is whether people in positions of power allow the child within to inspire...or rule them. That's how you can 'spot a TOT' in your boss or even in yourself."
Check out Lynn Taylor's upcoming new book, Tame Your Terrible Office Tyrant™: How to Manage Childish Boss Behavior and Thrive in Your Job (John Wiley & Sons, Inc., July 2009).
The book is an indispensable guide for managing and mitigating childish or "TOT"™ boss behavior. It's packed with practical advice that helps increase employees focus on the work at hand, creating a more collaborate, productive workplace (with a few laughs along the way).
Lynn Taylor's Blog
Lynn Taylor: Workplace Expert
Lynn Taylor is the author of Tame Your Terrible Office Tyrant™ (TOT). Her skills as a career expert and job search guru are targeted to employees dealing with difficult bosses and interested in career advancement. She also works with companies who want to improve corporate productivity and employee/manager dynamics. A speaker, consultant and researcher on the latest trends, Lynn has 20 years of experience with workplace issues. Click here to learn more about Lynn
TOT™ Taming Tips
TOT Taming expert Lynn Taylor answers your questions about challenging boss behaviors, as well as office politics, careers, corporate culture, difficult co-workers and subordinates, job searches, and much more.
Surviving Tough Times
Dear Lynn,
Things are pretty tense in our office. Sales are down, there are rumors of budget cuts, and even layoffs are possible. On the whole, we're trying to stick to business as usual, but it's been hard. On top of that, our boss has been hard to deal with. Some days, she's been an ally, but other days, she's tense, nervous, and short-fused. She often says to my colleagues, "You're lucky to have a job." How do I keep from losing my cool — or worse, my job, in this environment?
— The Worried Worker
More About Tame Your TOT™
Author and workplace expert Lynn Taylor warns employees to "Beware of the TOT!" TOTs (Terrible Office Tyrants™) are everywhere in the office. But Lynn's combination of humor and TOT Taming tips, along with her Managing Up philosophy, will help you overcome the challenges of the many varieties of difficult bosses, including: demanding bosses, spoiled bosses, needy or whiny bosses in the workplace.
TOT taming guru Taylor will also answer your questions about navigating office politics. At Tame Your TOT™, our goal is to empower you and to give you a greater degree of control over your life at work.
"Whether they are demanding, self-centered, distracted, needy, fickle, prone to micro-managing, mood swings, or tantrums … you name it, TOTs can act out similarly to toddlers in their Terrible Twos. Not surprisingly, the same techniques used in parenting an impatient, spoiled or bewildered child are often effective solutions for dealing with a childish boss", says Tame Your Terrible Office Tyrant™ (TOT)! author Lynn Taylor.
The good news is you have already taken the first step in taking greater control over your job and future. Welcome to Tame Your TOT™!
More
Don't miss our featured Screaming Video on Joe's unbelievable but true Terrible Office Tyrant™ (TOT) encounter. If you've ever struggled with a TOT, you'll appreciate how he survived one of his boss's many meltdowns.
Got a TOT? You're not alone! Dare to share your story at