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Archive for Worst Employees

The HORRORS of Leadership

Tuesday, October 26th, 2010

fearAll great movie villains know that night time is the best time to run amok. But just like every other average Jane or Joe, these menaces to society rely on their day jobs to pay the bills. With Halloween just around the corner, we’ll explore the strengths and weaknesses of some of the best horror movie villains of all time.

If you think you’ve got it bad with your employees and co-workers, here are some truly scary examples of how dreadfully frightful it could be.

Jason Voorhees
“Friday the 13th” (1978)

Strengths: Once Jason has his mind set on a project, he won’t stop until it’s completed. His one track thinking means nothing will distract him as he works toward achieving his goals. Jason is also a major proponent of proper safety equipment, which really helps keep workers’ compensation premiums low.

Weaknesses: Jason’s one-track mind is also his greatest weakness. If an important side project pops up along the way, it is difficult for him to stop what he’s working on and refocus. If worse comes to worst and you are forced to fire Jason, be prepared for him to keep coming back to work at least nine more times before he’s actually fired.
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Employee Computer UseThe Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) was engulfed in a media firestorm earlier this year when 28 agency employees were found downloading inappropriate and explicit images and videos on government computers while on and off the clock.

While one bad employee can be a huge problem for any team or organization, 28 bad employees can be catastrophic. From attorneys to supervisors to accountants, these SEC employees went as far as to disable internet filters on their computers to view unsuitable material.
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This Week’s Bad Employee: Oscar the Grouch

Friday, June 18th, 2010

grouchFor someone who works with the cuddliest characters on earth, in a sunny neighborhood everyone wants directions to, Oscar the Grouch is without a doubt the grumpiest character on Sesame Street. Sure Ernie’s laugh is annoying and the Count’s incessant counting is obnoxious, but Oscar’s own grumpy attitude is a bad habit he needs to break.
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Bad Employee of the Week: Extortionist Robert Joel Halderman

Wednesday, June 9th, 2010

100WorstEmployessRobert Halderman, a former producer for CBS’s 48 Hours, made headlines this year after blackmailing the host of CBS’s Late Show, David Letterman, by threatening to expose information about past affairs Letterman had with female staff members.

Instead of meeting Halderman’s demands, Letterman chose to publicly confess past indiscretions and cooperated with law enforcement in a sting operation to secure Halderman’s arrest. Halderman was charged with grand larceny for attempting to extort $2 million from Letterman and pled guilty to the charges. He is now serving a six-month sentence.
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Bad Employee of the Week: Robin Hood’s Russell Crowe

Friday, June 4th, 2010

rhWith a temper to rival Hollywood’s biggest divas, Russell Crowe’s most recent tantrum has won him the honor of this week’s bad employee in the business of show business. Crowe, known for his public altercations and outbursts, stormed out of a press interview promoting the new feature film, Robin Hood, during the Cannes film festival in May.

When a BBC interviewer mentioned hearing a touch of Irish accent in Crowe’s portrayal of England’s beloved Robin Hood, he was immediately affronted and expressed his frustration with a few not so choice words. The interview continued but ended abruptly when he decided to walk out. Crowe’s bad boy history of assaults on hotel employees and expletive-laden tantrums creates an awkward environment for onlookers and big headaches for film executives. And, his anger usually leaves a public relations storm of hurricane proportions in its wake – not a fun mess to clean up.
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Benedict Arnold: Bad Employee of the Week

Wednesday, May 26th, 2010

baBitter after being passed over for various promotions and drowning in debt, this American general plotted to surrender the strategically significant West Point Fort for £20,000 pounds to the British Army during the American Revolutionary War. Employed by George Washington to lead, guide, and protect West Point and its men, instead, a resentful Arnold sought to sell the fort’s surrender and his allegiance to the competition. When his plot was intercepted, Arnold defected to become a Brigadier General for the British, betraying his American colleagues and his country.

Since then, notorious in every American elementary school, his name has become an epithet for betrayal and treason. Benjamin Franklin famously once wrote “Judas sold only one man, Arnold three million.” Numerous books have been published, movies produced, and even songs written about the treachery of Benedict Arnold.

But, did you know he was considered by historians as a hero at the beginning of his career? Ultimately, Arnold’s deteriorating morale led to his disillusionment and his downfall. As a general of the American army, his actions against his colleagues have gone down in the pages of history, making him this week’s bad employee.
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Bad Employee of the Week: Glee’s Sue Sylvester

Wednesday, May 19th, 2010

Sue SylvesterHer razor-sharp tongue and shockingly low morals make Sue Sylvester, head coach of the William McKinley High School’s cheerleading squad on Fox’s hit musical comedy-drama Glee, this week’s bad employee of the week.

After the cheerleading budget was cut to make room for the high school’s glee club, Sue made it her life’s purpose and mission to destroy the club and get her cheerleading squad back on top. And as the glee club’s arch nemesis, she will stop at nothing to defeat the emerging singing sensations. Read More→

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What’s An Employer’s Worst Nightmare?

Wednesday, May 12th, 2010

Nightmare-EmployeesFrom creating office drama to making frequent errors and mistakes, a bad employee can be an employer’s worst nightmare.

One terrible worker can cause endless headaches and stress, and can even destroy a company’s hard-earned reputation in an instant. And, bad employees can be shockingly common.
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