Is My Boss an Idiot? Leadership Lessons They Never Taught You

The Art of Managing Up Without Losing Your Mind

Is your boss difficult, confusing, insecure, or completely unprepared for the role?
You’re not alone—and you’re not powerless.

Is My Boss an Idiot? Leadership Lessons They Never Taught You is a sharp, humorous, and deeply practical guide for professionals who must succeed despite imperfect leadership.

Drawing from real corporate experiences, training rooms, project war zones, and everyday “coffee-machine conversations,” Pankaj Sharma reveals the leadership lessons no MBA, certification, or corporate handbook ever covered: how to lead upward, influence without authority, and grow when the person above you isn’t exactly inspiring confidence.

This book isn’t about complaining.
It’s about strategic survival, quiet influence, and career growth in the real world.

Inside, you’ll learn:

• Why bad bosses are often your toughest—and most valuable—leadership teachers

• How to manage up without losing your sanity or your integrity

• Practical techniques to influence decisions when you don’t have authority

• How to work with ego-driven, insecure, micromanaging, or clueless bosses

• How frustration, when handled smartly, can become a leadership advantage

Written with wit, empathy, and real-world insight, this book turns workplace frustration into a masterclass in leadership maturity.

Whether you’re an individual contributor, a manager, or an aspiring leader, this book will change how you see power, authority, and leadership forever.

Because sometimes, the leadership course you never signed up for…
turns out to be the one that teaches you the most.