Dealing with the 4 different categories of bad bosses
An uncanny, aggressive or manipulative boss makes life no less than hell at your workplace. But one cannot always afford to quit or change jobs frequently. Moreover, changing boats will never help untill you learn to ride one. In this article, you will find ways to deal with four different categories of bad bosses and not let him affect your peace of mind.
Less coffee breaks, poor increment, no leaves and everything else bad is tolerable at the workplace. But when it comes to a bad boss, one certainly wants to do nothing else except quitting. Despite your consistent hard work and excellent performance, you fail to impress your boss. But don’t worry. Every problem has a peaceful solution to it provided you want to look upon it. This article will make you aware about the different personalities of a bad boss and the ways to resolve it.
Passive Aggressive Personality: Be Straightforward
A person with passive aggressive personality would tend to control you indirectly through his stubborn and sullen behavior. If your boss has a passive aggressive personality he would always bog you down with remarks like “Did I hear that right?”. Such bosses aren’t in the habit of confronting issues directly. They prefer an indirect way of criticizing you using such comments that make you doubt or question yourself. And if somehow you manage to come up with a decent explanation they would tell you that you are “taking it the wrong way” just to prove his point right.
Once you have recognized this tendency in your boss, it’s time to address it. Although you don’t need to be aggressive in your reply,you definitely need to tell them at the very moment they are pin-pointing you. Also, make sure you let them know that their aggressiveness isn’t really necessary. Avoid complaining or back-biting and simply tell them politely about it. This will help them in knowing that this sort of behaviour wouldn’t work on you and they will eventually stop.
Micro-Manager Boss: Find Your Space
A micro-manager boss is someone who wants control over every little thing. Now this isn’t bad if you love to get directions for everything you do at work. But if you love to work independently,this can no less than a nightmare for you. He would check you every 10-15 minutes to find your progress. On top of that, if he positions your desk near to his then you have no chance to escape.
There are a number of ways to handle micro-management as well. Find yourself a calm and quiet place such as an empty conference room where you can work undisturbed for hours together. If changing your desk isn’t an option then plug your earphones (even if you are not listening to music) just to pretend that you are focused and shouldn’t be disturbed. If nothing works out, don’t hesitate to discuss with the manager or the HR.
Manipulative Boss: Define Limits
If you are working under a manager who is more educated or has more authority then he may have a manipulative behavior. As an employee, you will always be anxious to make your boss happy and being best with your work. But with a manipulative boss, you may find that you have to say yes to things which you really don’t want to.
Bosses with manipulative behaviour focus on getting their best interests accomplished out of their employees. So, they keep their employees engaged in multiple directions without letting them focus on their career goals. At times, they may even compliment you for taking care of them so much.
But everything is good only until it doesn’t affect your peace of mind and career growth. The best way to resolve this issue is to set your limits and let your boss know about it. Respect your limits and don’t overdo if you aren’t really willing to do it.
Put-Down Boss: Kick Him Off
This can be the worst situation for anyone to survive through. A manager who uses only negative reinforcement to get his work done from you isn’t worth dealing with. Before joining a company, inquire about the manager’s reputation and behaviour from other people working under him. The interview time is the best to do this. You can also talk in person to the manager and take note of their language, gestures and how comfortable you feel in their presence.
By chance, if you happen to land in such a situation where your day doesn’t end with verbal insults and negative remarks then it’s better to simply quit. remember nothing in the world is worth your peace of mind.
I hope the above points will help you to overcome your fears and troubles of handling a bad boss. If there are any real experiences you have dealt with feel free to share the wisdom in the comments below.
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