From one extreme to the other-that would describe my experiences with bosses.

The worst boss I ever had was the administrator of the medical center where I gave ten years of my life without any measurable appreciation. This was a dysfunctional institution and the mystery to me is how perfectly decent, likable people from our community could be hired there and in a matter of months, undergo a complete personality change. I don't pretend to understand the attitude of the management of that place, but I do know their staff is made up of unhappy, malicious employees, particularly administration, and those attitudes filter down to the lowest members of the team. One past time of these miserable people is to look out the windows and see who is parking where. If they think anyone is parking closer to the building then they are, they whine and complain, even bringing it to administration, until the whole facility is in an uproar. This is just one example of the pettiness that abounds.

My first job in their employ was as a dental assistant, and it was a nightmare. Our administrator did not know the first thing about dental offices, so he hired me (eighteen years of experience) and my friend (twelve years of experience) and then proceeded to insult our intelligence and abilities with constant criticism and nitpicking, until he drove our receptionist out and into the office of a rival dentist. He also drove away the dentist. When her two year contract was up, she beat it back to Minneapolis as fast as she could go.
Since I was in favor with the administrator-who by the way was a dictator of the worst kind-I was transferred to the medical laboratory, where I drew blood and did secretarial work. Things were great there, until, one day my supervisor burst into the lab, went into her office and closed the door. Through the glass in the door I could see her sitting with her head in her hands. I had been unceremoniously transferred to another department, by the same little dictator, with no advance notice to either my supervisor or myself. I would be starting my new position in two days, and it was to an area where I did not want to go. Things went down hill from there. I was shuffled from one department to another, and with my ancient work ethic, I attempted to do my best at every job they gave me.

Fast forward seven years. Though I was doing secretarial work at dental assistant pay (since my dictator at least had not cut my wages), I had not had a

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