Famous Bully Bosses
Thursday, February 1 2001
Published on AllBusiness.com
These corporate tyrants didn't need to read Leadership Secrets of Attila the Hun—heck, they wrote it.
jill barad Mattel's flamboyant former CEO once asked for a glass of water during a meeting, then snapped, "This better not be tap," at the secretary who brought it. So universally despised, that when she was ousted last February, one analyst told the New York Post, "There's a lot of blood dripping off fangs and dancing around the tribal fires over this."
robert crandall Former American Airlines employees joke that their ex-CEO had "mankind's biggest bladder" because of his penchant for nonstop eight-hour meetings laced with profanities.
al dunlap Asked if successful managers could be friendly, the former Sunbeam CEO and slice-'n'-dice downsizer known affectionately as "Chainsaw" Al, growled, "You want a friend? Buy a dog."
steve jobs Legendary Apple co-founder and boss from hell, Jobs told a woman he was interviewing for an upper-level human resources position, "I've never met one of you who didn't suck. I've never known an HR person who had anything but a mediocre mentality." And once during a heated meeting exchange, the sockless wunderkind suddenly kicked his shoes off and stuck his bare feet in a manager's face.
marge schott This raspy-voiced, chain-smoking Cincinnati Reds owner was even-tually forced out for her blatantly anti—Semitic and racist comments. She honed her reputation as a skinflint during the 1990 World Series, when she refused to pay for food or drinks for her team's victory party or for a plane ride home for an outfielder who lacerated his kidney diving for a ball.
martha stewart The haughty hausfrau is so tight-fisted she reportedly allows her assistants only one cookie each at the catering table when filming her TV show.
jill barad Mattel's flamboyant former CEO once asked for a glass of water during a meeting, then snapped, "This better not be tap," at the secretary who brought it. So universally despised, that when she was ousted last February, one analyst told the New York Post, "There's a lot of blood dripping off fangs and dancing around the tribal fires over this."
robert crandall Former American Airlines employees joke that their ex-CEO had "mankind's biggest bladder" because of his penchant for nonstop eight-hour meetings laced with profanities.
al dunlap Asked if successful managers could be friendly, the former Sunbeam CEO and slice-'n'-dice downsizer known affectionately as "Chainsaw" Al, growled, "You want a friend? Buy a dog."
steve jobs Legendary Apple co-founder and boss from hell, Jobs told a woman he was interviewing for an upper-level human resources position, "I've never met one of you who didn't suck. I've never known an HR person who had anything but a mediocre mentality." And once during a heated meeting exchange, the sockless wunderkind suddenly kicked his shoes off and stuck his bare feet in a manager's face.
marge schott This raspy-voiced, chain-smoking Cincinnati Reds owner was even-tually forced out for her blatantly anti—Semitic and racist comments. She honed her reputation as a skinflint during the 1990 World Series, when she refused to pay for food or drinks for her team's victory party or for a plane ride home for an outfielder who lacerated his kidney diving for a ball.
martha stewart The haughty hausfrau is so tight-fisted she reportedly allows her assistants only one cookie each at the catering table when filming her TV show.