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CXO

The world’s worst bosses (real and imagined)

By Michael Kassner June 29, 2010, 11:13 PM PDT

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The world’s worst bosses (real and imagined)

Tony Hayward, CEO of BP

Tony Hayward, CEO of BP

If you work for this guy, you have to be leery of his cost-savings initiatives. He also wins the prize for worst corporate spin/lingo ever by his renaming the boats of all the fishermen cheated out of their livelihoods–Vessels of Opportunity.

Photo credit: BP

The world’s worst bosses (real and imagined)

SpongeBob SquarePants' Eugene Krabs

SpongeBob SquarePants' Eugene Krabs

Cheap, greedy, and proud of it. Eugene Krab’s favorite thing to say is, “I like money!”

Photo credit: Nickelodeon

The world’s worst bosses (real and imagined)

Adolf Hitler

Adolf Hitler

Despite the ridiculous mustache, he was able to rally a multitude of followers behind his u201cpurity of bloodu201d initiative, which resulted in the Holocaust.

The world’s worst bosses (real and imagined)

Gordon Ramsay

Gordon Ramsay

The host of TV’s Hell’s Kitchen is cruelly blunt and negative. He’s known as u201cThe Screaming Chef.u201d

The world’s worst bosses (real and imagined)

J. Edgar Hoover

J. Edgar Hoover

He kept FBI agents on call 24 hours a day to do random tasks around his house — like repairing his lawnmower. And if he didn’t like you, he could fire you AND keep an FBI dossier on you.

The world’s worst bosses (real and imagined)

Martha Stewart

Martha Stewart

I imagine the work environment surrounding her to be a cross between Arts and Crafts time and Glengarry Glen Ross.

Photo credit: CNET News.com

The world’s worst bosses (real and imagined)

Kenneth Lay, CEO of Enron

Kenneth Lay, CEO of Enron

When Enron filed bankruptcy (the largest in U.S. history), 4,000 employees lost their jobs. Around 15,000 employees held 62% of their savings in Enron stock, purchased at $83.13 in early 2001 (the stock later plummeted to below a dollar).

The world’s worst bosses (real and imagined)

Charles Manson

Charles Manson

When the company uniform involves a swastika carved into your forehead, it’s maybe not a good career move.

The world’s worst bosses (real and imagined)

Leona Helmsley, Queen of Mean

Leona Helmsley, Queen of Mean

If you could get past the hostility and arrogance, you’d still have to deal with the unmitigated greed.

The world’s worst bosses (real and imagined)

George Pullman

George Pullman

Pullman was a 19th century industrialist who created his own city for his employees to live in. And then charged sky-high rent.

The world’s worst bosses (real and imagined)

Osama bin Laden

Osama bin Laden

When your job duties include suicide, you know you have a bad boss.

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