My friend Bob is counting the days, or I should say months, until he retires. While he is fortunate, and knows how lucky he is, to have a job in this rough economy, Bob, like so many employees is unhappy in his job and dislikes his boss. I, like many workers, have at some point in my career been in Bob’s situation.

He is a talented programmer who has been pigeonholed into work that has become meaningless and managed by a boss who, in turn, is directed to produce results within a increasingly decreasing budget

Like so many other model, but disgruntled, employees who work hard and meet deadlines, the problem is not Bob’s, but is a management failing.

Managers are so driven by financial results that many overlook the human side of the workplace. It is the rare manager who can balance his or her pressures with caring for and about the people who work for them. Of course, most of the blame for this starts with the chief executive. A CEO who is caring will develop a caring culture. A cold CEO driven only by financial results, bonuses, and wealth, will develop a cold and sterile culture.

Another cuuse is the lack of management training. People are often advanced into management positions without having developed any real “people skills” and not having receiving any significant and on-going training in management. Thus their style is reactive to pressures put on them rather that proactive in developing their staffs to work as teams who work together in meeting departmental objectives.

Bob will bide his time until he can retire. But this is of little consolation to all the younger people in the department.