BY AMARI SUKHDEO
Have you ever had a bad boss and don’t know what to do about it? Well, almost everyone in Canada has. 2 in 5 Canadians have quit their jobs due to having a horrible boss. The unfortunate truth is that having a bad superior is a lot more common, and quitting sometimes isn’t an option for most people. A bad boss can make your day a drag at the workplace, dealing with micromanaging, anger management, favoritism, dismissal, or a flat-out bully. Let’s tackle this situation in a proactive way; here are four helpful tips to get your boss off your back, and hopefully make the workplace more manageable until you can find a new job.
Is it you or your boss?
Having a “bad boss” affects you personally as much as it does in the workplace. If your boss is constantly dismissing you, and making you feel irritated, low self-esteem, or just feeling down, you tend to form a bias against them as a person. People tend to attribute bad boss behaviour to personality flaws. Take the time to consider the full context of the situation and their behaviour as a boss, not just the incidents or comments that affect your emotions. By doing this, you can approach the task unbiased and with level-headedness to draw a conclusion.
Openly communicate
Some bosses aren’t effectively trained, or even qualified for the job. This includes not knowing how to effectively communicate with their teams, which can lead to a lack of communication and tension. If your boss is bad at communicating what they expect of you, take matters into your own hands and take the initiative in voicing your concerns. With a bad boss, initiative with being a leader, openly communicating questions, or concerns, and setting up meetings, you can effectively create a more open and honest relationship with your boss.
Identify their triggers
The Karenina principle states, “Good bosses are all alike; every bad boss is bad in their own way.” You can have an: insecure boss, a pessimist, a victim, the know-it-all, the tormentor, the biased coworker, the political operator, and any other form of a horrible boss. Knowing their triggers, and what they are picky about can help you work around them in the workplace. No single strategy can manage every bad boss variant, but by considering their behaviour and outbursts, you can strategize on how to avoid unnecessary disputes.
Set boundaries
Setting boundaries with yourself, and your boss is difficult, but it’s necessary in the workplace. You need to set boundaries that allow you to interact with your boss and coworkers professionally while also caring for your own mental, physical, and social well-being. If things don’t change with your toxic boss you need to: interact less with them, reschedule your work, and quit if you have to. Talking with HR can help determine formal steps in dealing with your boss and getting reassigned.
These tips can help deal with a bad boss, but the best thing to do is… AVOID BAD BOSSES. Before getting your next job, it’s always best to have a coffee, or lunch date with some staff and get a good feel of the workplace environment you’re going to be entering. Discover as much as you can about the company before entering it to avoid being in this position to begin with.
