Is your boss a wimp? Does he or she not stand up for his or her employees? Do you have to fight for the resources you need to do your job and your boss does nothing to help you?

Does your boss appear to listen only nothing ever changes? Is it truly the fault of your boss or is something else in the organization the underlying issue?

Employees often forget that their boss reports to someone, and frequently it is the culture of the organization that demands deference from its managers. If an organization’s culture is oppressive in nature and forcefully requests that managers follow orders given by their superiors, there may be little opportunity for two-way communication. Perhaps your boss is reporting to a workplace tyrant which may make follow-through virtually impossible.

In an article by Bob Weinstein, he cites a recent study by the Employment Law Alliance in which it states almost half of all employees have been targeted by a bully boss. The same study revealed:

• 81% of bullies are managers
• 50% of bullies are women and 50% are men

A culture of fear and threats does little to motivate people and help the organization meet its objectives. The culture of an organization, however, is driven from the top and any change to the culture requires upper management to alter the way they do business. Ironically, strong, inspirational leadership can have a significant impact on improving the productivity of an organization as witnessed by some of the “Best Places to Work” winners.

In 2008, Dixon-Schwabl was named the Best Small Company to Work for in America. In an interview with Lauren Dixon, CEO, she stated that her main job as a leader was, “90% to make sure my employees are happy and the other 10% I attend client meetings.” During conversations with employees, I felt a loyalty and excitement that I do not feel in many places. The question is in a time of recession does this type of culture make sense?

Last week, I received from Dixon Schwabl their statistics for the year since being named Best Small Company to Work for in America. Karen Sims, Vice President of People and Development stated they had a 42% increase in job applicants, including 300 for one recent opening

• Added 41 new clients
• A 32% increase in revenues
• A 125% increase in college internship applications

Dixon Schwabl is a stellar example of what can be accomplished in any organization with a focus on people and how a leader helps them accomplish the goals of the organization.

So what does one do if their organization was not voted one of the Best Companies to Work for in America and you are working for a wimpy boss? The best option is to communicate to your boss the consequences of not having the necessary resources and do it in a nonthreatening way. Let them know what the impact is on the organization. What problems occur due to the lack of resources and how this will effect the bottom line or product quality? When a manager feels attacked or blamed they become less receptive to your message. Aside from that, you can apply to Dixon Schwabl or one of the other 100 best places to work!