The title of this article in the Economic Times is sure to attract its share of eyeballs. The reason is simple. Everyone and his aunt have either hated his/her boss at one time or the other or has been the subject of such hate from their subordinates! The article is based on a research finding from the well-known talent management firm, DDI. I am sure their findings will come as no surprise. The basic causes of resentment seem to be universal and apply in the US just as much as they do in India or in the UK. To me, a few points that come to mind are:-

Like beauty, hatred too lies in the eyes of the beholder. We perceive our bosses based on our experiences and our insights, which need not necessarily be true.

Building on the previous point, our perceptions are liable to change if something good happens to us, like a huge raise or a promotion.

Sauce for the goose is definitely not sauce for the gander. Sadly, while we have a large list of expectations of our bosses, we do not exhibit the same towards our subordinates.

This is undoubtedly a fascinating topic. As long as people get together to work, there will be conflict, there will be jostling for power and authority and there will be winners and losers.

I venture to suggest that the survey results would be vastly different if the respondents were all successful or all unsuccessful in their jobs.