Everyone has had a bad boss. You might have one right now. You might even be one. Bad bosses are a fact of the workplace, whether they’re short-tempered, unclear about expectations, or too disorganized to manage so much as a stapler. But how do you not only survive a difficult boss, but help your career thrive despite them?

Drawing on the simple four-colour system that made Surrounded by Idiots a global bestseller, Erikson shows how understanding your boss’s behavioural tendencies as well as your own will lead to a more harmonious and productive workplace. He also sets out what characterises an exemplary leader type and how you can adapt your behaviour to model it. Because there are two sides to every coin, Erikson also looks at employees themselves and why some colleagues frequently underachieve and what you can do to change this.