Study Finds Some of Us Want a Mean Boss—Here’s Why

Ever had a boss who seems to think “management” means yelling louder than everyone else? Turns out, not everyone hates that.

A new study out of Columbia University suggests a surprising twist in workplace culture: a lot of people actually respect—and even prefer—mean bosses.

It all depends on how you see the world.

Some people think mean bosses are needed in order to get sh*t done.

The study – titled “Savvy or Savage? How Worldviews Shape Appraisals of Antagonistic Leaders“ – found there are two camps.

If you believe life is mostly caring and collaborative – or that everyone’s pitching in and doing their best – then an aggressive manager might feel toxic and ineffective.

But if you think it’s a “dog‑eat‑dog world,” you might see that same boss as a strong leader who keeps people motivated and gets results.

Those who see the social world as a competitive jungle tend to attach greater value to antagonism, responding with heightened tolerance or even appreciation for leaders who show it. Those who see the world as collaborative and caring, on the other hand, may often view antagonistic leaders as “hopelessly misguided and ineffective.”

Workplace culture isn’t one‑size‑fits‑all.

According to the study, people in the “caring” camp tend to think harsh leadership is a sign you don’t know how to handle people. But those in the “dog‑eat‑dog” camp? They’re more likely to admire someone who’s fiery, even if it means they (or their coworkers) get yelled at sometimes.

The study was sparked by a real‑life viral story.

Remember the Olive Garden manager in Kansas in 2022? The one who sent a memo to staff saying, “If you call off, you might as well go out and look for another job.”

The line that really got people was, “If your dog died, you need to bring him in and prove it.” 👀

The manager got fired, but plenty of people online defended the tough‑love approach, blaming “lazy employees” instead.

Is a drill sergeant approach really necessary?

Again, it depends on how you view the world, whether you think people need a drill sergeant to stay motivated – and also, whether you think your colleagues are a bunch of lazy bastards or not.

What the study definitely shows is we all have wildly different ideas on what good, effective management looks like – what feels like abuse to one person might feel like strong leadership to another.

Do you work better under a boss who barks orders, or one who hugs it out?