How To Handle a Horrible Boss....
Dealing with a horrible boss can be tough. It can make every workday torturous. Maybe the misfires are due to something as simple as a personality conflict, or perhaps you feel like the boss man/woman just has it out for you. Whatever the case, there’s always something you can do to help restore the connection between you and your employer.
Here are some tips for wrangling that relationship and making your job a little less brutal.
GET IN GOOD
You don’t have to be BBF’s with your boss, and, honestly, it’s probably best if you aren’t. However, people who are on friendly terms with their supervisors will find that everything from year-end reviews to weekly staff meetings are a little easier to deal with. The goal is not to manipulate your boss via friendship, but to create a situation that makes open, constructive communication from both directions more likely.
If you and your boss share a common interest, that’s an easy place to start. However, if you don’t, you may have to be more creative. Little things go a long way: ask about their weekend, give them a friendly and sincere ‘hi’ when you pass them in the hall, and make it a point to be attentive and productive in meetings. If you can lay the foundation for a work friendship, that will likely iron out any previous kinks.
GET ALONG
Of course, sometimes you just can’t turn an enemy in to an ally. If that happens with your boss, lower the bar just a bit. Aim for merely getting along. Stay friendly and engaged in meetings, get your work done on time, and avoid the temptation to complain about him/her to coworkers—bosses hear about these things. Always.
It should go without saying, but if there are specific criticisms your boss has given you (like being habitually late, for example), deal with those, as well.
GET OUT
If all of the above fails and your boss continues to be a daily thorn in your side, it may be time to get out of there. The process of finding a new job is a pain, but what sounds worse: a few weeks of irritation as you apply and interview, or years of psychological torture dealing with the boss from hell? If you do decide to change jobs because of your boss, be sure to be candid about that in the exit interview. Your company doesn’t do exit interviews? Contact HR on your way out and give them feedback. Be professional about it, but let them know that your main reason for leaving was your supervisor. Don’t do this for yourself as some silly form of revenge. Do it for your coworkers who still have to deal with that beast of a boss every day.
Work is work. It’s perfectly normal for there to be things about your job that aren’t enjoyable, but dealing with your boss shouldn’t give you headaches. Get in good, get along or get out. You spent a lot of time on the job each week— it shouldn’t be any more unpleasant than it has to be.
By: Adam Martin
Adam@adammartin13.com
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