What started as a hunt for Australia’s Worst Boss became a study in leadership. Compono is helping organisations turn bad leadership into better leadership through data, psychology, and culture insight.
Why are we doing this?
At Compono, we believe work should be a place where people grow, not just grind.
We launched Australia’s Worst Boss to do more than collect wild workplace stories. We set out to conduct Australia’s largest study of leadership and shine a light on what bad leadership really looks like.
There’s plenty of research on what makes a good leader: empathy, communication, and vision.
But almost nothing on the flip side: what toxic leadership looks like, what bad bosses have in common, and how to turn them around.
Because here’s the truth: most bad bosses aren’t bad people. They’re untrained, unaware, or unsupported — and that’s something we can fix.
By understanding what drives poor leadership, we can help leaders go from bad bosses to great leaders.
That’s why we do what we do.
Built by Compono
This campaign is powered by Compono — a team of organisational psychologists, data scientists and technologists who are obsessed with helping people find meaning, performance, and connection at work.
Curious about your own leadership style?
Take the Work Personality Snapshot: a 60-second assessment revealing your strengths, blind spots, and how you can bring out the best in others.
Every story we’ve received is a reminder: most bad bosses aren’t bad people. They’re untrained, unaware, and unsupported.
This campaign is a wake-up call — not a takedown.
That’s why we’re offering free leadership coaching and development resources to help people learn, reflect, and grow. Because better leaders build better workplaces.
Introducing the Exec Lab
We’re inviting CEOs, founders, and senior leaders to step into the Exec Lab.
This 2-hour, data-driven workshop is designed to uncover blind spots, improve team performance, and shape better leadership cultures.
Because even the best leaders have something to learn.
And because leadership isn’t about avoiding mistakes, it’s about learning from them.
Australia’s Worst Boss is proudly powered by Compono — helping teams avoid bad bosses through better hiring, culture insights and leadership development.
We’re not talking about the boss who once ate your lunch. We’re spotlighting behaviours that are toxic, manipulative, negligent or just plain absurd — the kind that break trust, morale and team culture.
It’s a free tool from Compono that helps you discover your style at work — including how you handle conflict, lead teams and collaborate. It’s fast, insightful, and built on real people science.
Nope. This campaign is about accountability and growth. Many bad bosses don’t even realise the impact they’re having. We want to shine a light — not just throw shade.
We’ve built a leadership program — the Executive Lab — for exactly that. It helps execs understand the culture they’re creating and gives them tools to improve it.
Because we care about culture. Because we believe in better work. And because sometimes, the best way to spark change is with a little humour and a lot of honesty.
Ready to find out what kind of leader you’d be?
Discover your strengths, blind spots, and how to bring out the best in others.
