I love my job, I enjoy working with my colleagues, and I love everything about my work but there’s one thing that’s giving me a terrible headache almost everyday – dealing with my difficult boss.
I believe I am not the only person who experiences this – most working professionals have encountered the same and you will surely come across a boss like Miranda Priestly (from The Devil Wears Prada) once or twice in your entire life. That’s already too much to bare!
But no matter how hard it is to handle a boss who has an unpleasant manner and is uneasy to approach, you must not give up or think of leaping out quickly and hoping to find a nicer one. Instead, I urge you to stay in your workplace, develop your managing-up skills, and try to face the problem with all your might.
How should you be able to tolerate your boss’s bad behaviour, I hear you ask? The solution is here:
1) Practice professionalism in your workplace:
Everything that happened in the four corners of the office should be taken professionally and not personally. If your boss say something that hurts or upsets you, don’t fight back. You have to respect your boss no-matter-what.
Don’t let it affect your work and productivity. But if the matter becomes too serious, don’t hesitate to ask help from people who are in the right position to do something about it. Even though bad things kept happening between the two of you, do not ever forget to still honor your superior!
2) Focus on your priorities but keep in mind your boss professional goals:
What are your priorities? Is it to succeed in your work or to have an inner conflict with your boss? If your focus is to become successful in your career then you must work diligently and keep on producing best results.
Some bosses became bad to their employees when the work is not done properly. So as an employee, you have to do your job and must do it well because your boss’ priorities is also your priority. Don’t give your boss any reason to hate you but instead give him all the reasons why hiring you was a good decision!
3) Treat the situation as an incredible learning experience:
You might be suffering a lot now because of your relationship with your boss but you’ll definitely learn something from it. Meeting a difficult boss is not bad after all because you’re gaining knowledge and experience that you can use in your future endeavors. When you have successfully learned how to deal with such people, encountering more of them in the future won’t give you a headache anymore.
4) If you have any concerns, communicate it with your boss:
Communication is the key to avoid all kinds of misunderstanding and it is needed in the workplace to have a better career. Do not hesitate to approach your boss if there are things that are unclear to you. Be honest and always be polite to him.
Keep your boss updated and always provide accurate information in your regular progress report. Aside from being open to your ideas and thoughts, rememeber to become an active listener too. Learn to listen and understand every word that your boss says.
5) Martyrdom is not a way to career advancement:
Don’t always take the blame if you know it is not your fault. Do not get too much work if you think you cannot handle it all. Being a martyr is a choice and if you want to play that role in your work then you’re only being harsh to yourself. It will not help you in advancing your career.
6) Stay fascinated and not frustrated:
In this bad situation, some people just slack off or lose interest in performing well because they hate working with their difficult manager or supervisor. Don’t be like them, instead show your boss how better you are by performing well in your assigned job.
Be fascinated with your work. Stay upbeat and get engaged with your boss professionally. Keeping a good and positive attitude will not only make you feel better but it also drives you to be the best that you can be.
7) Be careful with every word you say and every action you do:
Talking less and listening more is the best thing you can do to have a good working relationship with your employer. Do not let yourself become too angry and do not be offended easily. Keep calm and do your best in your work. This is a professional trait that sometimes is undervalued but can have a real payoff in your career.
8) Be a problem-solver not a problem-maker:
When problem occurs, do not just rely to your boss. You are in a team so you must help him in fixing things that gone wrong. Try to avoid complaining and just find ways on how you can contribute to the solution of the problem.
9) Make the most of what you have:
You have a job, you get paid properly, and you have a good relationship with your co-workers – here are just some of the things that you should be grateful of. Even though your boss is such a pain, you don’t have to stress yourself out just thinking about him. You can still make the most of what you have in the company you’re working for by focusing on the good things that’s happening to you.
10) Avoid the art of backstabbing:
Backstabbing and gossiping is an unprofessional act. This should not be practiced in the workplace because this only destroys the relationship of people in the team or department.
Nobody is perfect and so is your boss. Avoid spreading bad things about him. Whatever happens between you at work or no matter how bad his attitude towards you is, you should not gossip about him to other people.
11) Last resort:
Move on and find another your job!
If work just becomes too unbearable because of your horrible boss, you may need to consider quitting to save yourself and your health. Too much stress level is not good to you and it also affects your self-esteem so if you still have a little respect to yourself, move out and look for another job that will give you some peace of mind.
Author: Amber Stanley is a writer at edugeeksclub.com. She is a blogger, booklover, and traveler. She loves to write about education, social media, blogging, and careers. Add her on Google+.
