How To Deal With A Scary Boss
The difference between a happy workplace and the one you dread to go is most often decided by the person who manages you, your Boss.Bosses come in all shapes and sizes, and there is no one-fits-all solution to deal with them.One of the common mistakes we make as a potential employee is to get carried away by the prospects of working in a successful company which when compared to our previous job looks glamorous with its high end salary, perks, the parking space and so on.In the world of job hunting this is an error we shouldn't succumb to.What matters most is the people you are surrounded by and interact with on a daily basis at your workplace.It is this factor that influences your personal success and happiness in life.
Strategies to Deal with Problem Bosses:
1.
Most of the time a boss-employee relationship gets sour due to lack of training on the part of the boss.He is unsure of how friendly to be and as a result exhibit extremes of behaviour, ranging from helpful and supportive to being aggressive and distant.The strategy here is to behave in ways that you have not done before.Practical changes like arriving on time (if you are a late comer), dressing differently (be casual if you normally dress formal), be humorous (if you are not one) and so on.In short, stop being an open book.
There are short periods when your boss is extremely friendly and pleasant.Don't make the mistake of being friendly in return.Instead be a little distant and aloof.Make use of this time to criticize him gently, and gradually up the tempo as you remind him of situations where he let you down or was quite unreasonable.Remember that your end goal is to tell him that the way he is managing you is not as good as it should be and it is making you very unhappy.
2.Build a Network:
Try to build a network of contacts at the level of your boss or above.This ploy of getting to know the boss's boss or other senior officers gives you a leverage over your boss as to how he treats you in the future.And your boss will have the unenviable task of finding out how much of his negative behaviour has percolated to the ear of the higher ups.Be cautious enough never to criticize your boss in front of the boss's boss or other seniors.
3.The Martial Art Approach:
Think how irritating it will be for a vindictive boss when he is unable to bait you into an argument every time you play second fiddle to everything he says.This may seem like a soft approach but it is very similar to the martial art where you let your opponent punch their verbal blows as you sidestep and let the impact bypass you without causing any harm to your creativity and personality.
4.Making the Boss feel Uneasy:
To keep your boss off your back and make him feel uncomfortable every time you are in his presence, stick to your position of working according to the office hours set in the company rules and not to every whim and fancy of your nagging boss.At the same time be the Good Samaritan occasionally in your company during crisis or pressure situations by helping out even if it does not form part of your assigned job.Such supportive behaviour will make you look the ideal team player and your boss would be left with lesser ammunition to attack you.
Enlist the support of your colleagues and make them understand the unreasonable demands of your boss.An organized voice will make your boss sit up and take notice of his eroding support base.
5.Make it Public:
Another way to reign in your domineering boss and check his bad comments and statements is to make them 'public'.Refer to these comments when other bosses, managers or even visitors are around.But for maximum effect, say it in front of him and in a totally dead-pan style.You are simply repeating something that your boss had said and so there must not be a hint of irony.In the future your boss will reflect more carefully on his comments to you once he discovers that there is the possibility of your sharing these outrageous statements with a wider audience.
6.Ignore the Bully:
This type of boss wields a lot of power in his workplace and is surrounded by a bunch of favourites who act as his sidekicks.Getting nicknamed and being part of this in-group seems to be the answer to your anxiety.But this ploy is counter-productive in the long run as you lose control and the bully erodes your confidence with every passing day.An ideal strategy to deal with such a boss is to mirror his communication style.You need to be brief, be aggressive and cut out the niceties.And if he calls you by any name other than your real name, do not respond.He will leave you alone once he knows you mean business.
7.Take a Sickie:
There are times when you are overwhelmed by the behaviour of an aggressive and scary boss so much so that you are unable to carry on with your normal work.In such situations it is better to take a day off so that you can calm down, relax, think things through and return refreshed, with a clear strategy in mind.However, buying time this way could land you in trouble if done more than a few times.
PLANNING TO LEAVE !
Whether you succeed in employing fruitfully the strategies mentioned above or not, there comes a time when the situation gets unhappy and you may plan to leave.But before taking that final step try to learn as much as you can from your present role.Not all bosses and workplaces are going to be unlucky in your career path.Your next opportunity might be a different and rewarding experience.And the information and knowledge that you gathered earlier might come in handy in your new role.
.