Working with 'different' bosses: Spot the patterns and take back control

Caroline Esterson
Jun 11
3 min read

Updated: Jun 12

Welcome to the messy middle of modern work, where managers are as varied (and chaotic) as the office kitchen fridge. Some are glorious Amplifiers who say your name in rooms you're not in. Others? Well, they’re Deflectors, Bouncers, Squirrels, or Chameleons—and navigating around them can feel like a full-time job in itself.

This blog dives into insights from Bonus Episode 1 of Little Moves, Big Careers: "Don’t Wait to Be Managed -Take Charge of Your Career."

The Problem: You’re Brilliant, But Stuck

Maybe you’re showing up. You’re delivering. But the recognition, the progression, the clarity? Nowhere in sight. Cue the slow-burn career crisis: "Is it me? Am I not doing enough?"

And very quickly, you can start to spiral.

Sometimes, the problem isn't your talent, it's the system you're navigating. And more specifically, the manager archetypes you’re dealing with.

Meet the Workplace Zoo:

1. The Deflector Masters of vague plans and accountability dodging. Famous line: “Let’s circle back.” (They won’t.)

How to Handle It:

Offer 2–3 options to make decisions easier
Always put things in writing
CC strategically to show progress

2. The Bouncer Gatekeeper of growth, holding the velvet rope with a smile and a "you’re not ready."

How to Handle It:

Ask for the criteria of readiness
Build allies elsewhere
Track your wins so they’re undeniable

3. The Squirrel Always busy, always distracted. Things ping in and out of their brain like an inbox tornado.

How to Handle It:

Simplify your asks
Document everything
Anchor yourself with structure

4. The Chameleon Friendly in public, ghostly in private. Masters of deflection when blame is on the line.

How to Handle It:

Mirror strategically
Protect your integrity behind the scenes
Build your own truth circle

5. The Amplifier (The Holy Grail) They see you, stretch you, and say your name in important rooms. If you’ve got one? Bake them brownies. Or at least, tell them they matter.

Want to see if you are an Amplifier?

Your core strategy: E + R = O

Jack Canfield nailed it: Event + Response = Outcome.

You can’t always change the event (like being passed over for a promotion). But you can change your response.

Your response shapes your future.

Not the manager.

Not the process.

You.

Try This:

Document your outcomes, not just your effort.
Ask better questions. "What would readiness look like for you?"
Build clarity when no one else will.
Lead yourself like someone worth following.

Your Bold Move Brief

You don’t need to wait to be managed. You can lead from where you are, with clarity, ownership, and tiny strategic moves.

Actions to Try:

Name the manager type, and stop taking it personally.
Shift from effort to outcome in how you communicate.
Ask for what you want. Specifically.
Be your own Amplifier if no one else will.

Cheat Sheet: “How to Spot and Strategise Around Manager Madness”

Archetype	Red Flags	Bold Move
Deflector	Vague, non-committal, "let’s circle back"	Offer choices + document everything
Bouncer	Talks about “fit”, blocks stretch opportunities	Ask for criteria + build allies
Squirrel	Constant pinging, forgets actions	Be the comms anchor
Chameleon	Two-faced, ducks blame	Protect your integrity, build records
Amplifier	Visible, vocal, values growth	Share your wins, mirror their style