I have been re-watching The Office. David Brent is the manager of the office and is considered to be a prime example of a bad boss. He lies to his staff, his bosses, probably even himself. He exaggerates things, seeks blame on others and constantly offends people knowingly and unknowlingly.
But David is not a bad person. He is just totally lost on how to conduct himself in this world, either professionally, socially or with regards to women. The way things work for his asshole-but-more-attractive sales-rep friend Chris Finch is not the way it works for him. Professionally he is a living example of the Dilbert principle. Despite being somewhat inept as a boss, he has become one, probably on a fluke. Mistaking his position as his own achievement, David is simply blind to his own ineptitude. Being successfull all the time is dangerous.
David doesn’t receive our sympathy until he comes aware of all this and accepts it. This is why I feel for David Brent. The world is a confusing place and people make no sense, you might as well be working in a random number factory, in charge of the sufficient value distribution.