Kshanti

[Individual]

At a temp agency I worked at, I had a good boss. She was happy, had a good sense of humor, listened to her employees, and the result was that the workers were happy, and being happy, they did good work. She eventually moved on, though, to a much better government job. Her replacement was a balding, angry red-faced man, who belittled his employees, spoke condescendingly, was easily irritated, didn't listen to his employees, and the result was that employees didn't want to come to work, and when they did come, they didn't feel like working. Because of this and a silly argument I had over how he had us round off our hours worked (a petty argument which I heard he had apparently fired numerous employees over), I quit.

Now, in school... Last semester, I had a great biology professor. Same mentality as the "good boss". She's very clear about what's on our tests, gives us helpful study guides, the tests are well-prepared, and the students do well.

This semester, I have a bad biology professor, which is like the "bad boss". He doesn't explain stuff clearly, blames his students for doing poorly, his tests are sloppily thrown together at the last minute, with poor wording, and messy hand-writing, and if you try to approach him about any of this, he is belligerent. The funny thing, too, is that the bad professor is actually the chairman of our college's science department, so really, it's not even like there's anybody I could complain to. And I can't quit because I have to finish my degree.

Like the bad boss's employees, the students including me are demoralized.

I understand that physically there's nothing that prevents me from succeeding. I only have to work harder than I did before. But how do I accomplish this mentally?

I can't hate the professor or wallow in despair, so what do I do?

Kshanti! Patience and forgiveness!

When others are in positions of authority above us, we cannot approach them with a combative mind, like an asura. Instead, we have to be patient with them, forgiving them for their wrongs even though they have not even asked for it.

This does not mean allowing ourselves to be a doormat for others, however.

[ronnewmexico]

That's good a good response it seems.

On a technical manner related to the specific....a well liked boss is not necessarily a productive boss, one that produces the most product for the least cost.

This is a common mistake in supervision. In some settings, perhaps a office environment, such is about always true. In other venue that is simply not true. Aversion, manipulation perhaps of aversion, team aversion by concensus developement is necessary to employ to make others produce at a higher level then is normally possible.

This is common in sports management but is present in many other areas particularly those that focus on the physical performance of tasks. A drill sargent per example does not have his/her recruits do what they do on the basis of being liked, the inverse is the situation. A well liked drill sargent...will not succeed at the task of manageing recruits. A extreem example but it is in many physcially oriented professions the rule not the exception.

If you enter supervision that may be considered....it is fact. NO one approach fills the bill. Circumstance determines prefered method.

The spiritual...this seems a very good response to the challenge of circumstance and useage of unfavorable circumstance for good purpose.

[Huifeng]

Reflect that the people will encounter are partly a result of our own karma.
If we ourselves had lead others with wisdom and compassion in the past,
we would be more likely to encounter such people in this present life.
So, improving our own game is the best way to meet other great people in this world.

[Individual]

Reflect that the people will encounter are partly a result of our own karma.
If we ourselves had lead others with wisdom and compassion in the past,
we would be more likely to encounter such people in this present life.
So, improving our own game is the best way to meet other great people in this world.