How to Work With a Passive-Aggressive Boss

Working with a passive-aggressive boss can be both dangerous and deflating and is often accompanied by a pattern of behavior that centers upon the sabotage of your efforts. Passive-aggressives rarely share information, because retaining it allows them to hold onto the power. They may give you part of the equation, but not enough of it for you to perform your job properly. They will also conveniently forget an entire series of events if it will get them out of trouble or reflect poorly upon you or another. Protecting yourself from these attacks is vital to your survival in the workplace.

Instructions

1. Cover your back when working with your boss on any project. Examine all documents related to project deadlines, expectations and deliverables. Double-check your understanding of the task with upper management to ensure you are receiving all of the proper information needed to complete the task.

2. Try to have conversations with your boss in the presence of one or two witnesses. Passive-aggressive colleagues will often deny entire conversations ever occurred; having a witness gives you credibility and will force your boss to admit to a conversation if things go south.

3. Follow up on all private conversations you have with your boss with documentation. Send follow-up emails to your boss detailing your understanding of the conversation you just had and asking for a affirmation via email that you have the details correct.

4. Have your boss initial any changes or additions to the project in writing. A passive-aggressive boss will often deny having read an email relating to a change or revised expectation.

5. Keep track in writing every occasion your boss has displayed inappropriate behavior towards you or co-workers in the workplace. You may need to present this to upper-level management when issuing a formal complaint. If other co-workers have experienced similar sabotage episodes via your boss, ask them to document their own experiences to back you up.

Tips & Warnings

• Passive-aggressive behavior is a sneaky form of abuse. Behavior is often calculated and administered in the form of a sucker punch---you never see it coming.

References

• Passive-Aggressive Collegues
• The Passive-Aggressive Executive

Resources

• Do You Work in a Passive-Aggressive Organization