I hate my boss. Now what?
Jamie’s boss is a real jerk. He belittles Jaime, doesn’t share information, gossips, undermines and generally makes her life miserable.
Ever been there? I have. It stinks.
As an HR person for years, I ran into these kinds of bosses. I felt bad for the employees on their teams. I made those jerky bosses my personal challenge. Either I could adjust the boss’s behavior or I had to help him or her leave the company.
Here is some advice if you find yourself working for a jerk. Choose whichever piece makes sense for you. If none of these ideas works, then we should talk. There is always a way around a jerky boss.
- Self-examination. Is there something you are missing? Is there a nugget of truth in negative feedback? Is there some way you could improve? Look at your situation, your output, your method of communicating to see if there is anything you can do on your end to make the situation better? If so, try it. It might take some time but if there is a chance you could make a change that improves the situation then it is worth exploring.
- Find a diversion. Do you have a hobby or friends to take your mind off the difficult work situation? If not, then make finding a new friend or new hobby a priority.
- Find a mentor at work who can give a different perspective. You are probably not the only person who has had issues with that boss. Try to find someone who can mentor you through this rocky situation. Do not gossip or complain. You are seeking advice. Try out advice that makes sense to see if you can improve your situation.
- Be sure your work product is top notch. You are already in a difficult situation. You don’t want to find yourself the object of a performance improvement plan or out on the street (unless you want out of there!)
- Get a coach. Sometimes talking to someone outside of the company is a good way to blow off steam or discover new approaches to manage the difficult work situation. Try out a few coaches to find the coach that fits you best.
- Exercise to reduce stress. Working in a difficult situation for a difficult, jerky boss is very stressful. You want to find an outlet for your stress. Exercise increases positive endorphins and gives you energy to deal with your difficult boss.
- Find another job. When all else fails and you reach the end of your patience with a jerky boss, remember, there is always another place to work. Sometimes the grass IS greener somewhere else!
Don’t sit in your pain. Take control of your future today!