How to Deal With Bad Boss Behavior
A 2011 poll by Office Team, an administrative staffing company, revealed that 46 percent of respondents believe they have an unreasonable boss. While many may experience this problem, few employees may know how to handle it effectively, which can lead to reduced productivity. A Georgetown University study found that 80 percent of those suffering from a bad incident with their boss lost work time worrying about it. If you encounter an unreasonable boss on a daily basis, you have options. You should take the action that best speaks to you and your situation.
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Instructions
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Talk to your boss. As quoted by MSNBC.com, Brad Karsh, president of JB Training Solutions, recommends employees meet with their boss to discuss the specific behavior and how it makes them feel. If that fails, Karsh recommends speaking to another high-level manager or the human resources department of your company. If none of these produces results, Karsh recommends employees begin looking for another job.
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Tailor your working style to mitigate the boss' bad behavior. Office Team recommends taking specific action commensurate with the kind of bad behavior you're dealing with. If your boss hovers, for example, build his trust by doing quality work on time and keeping him updated on your progress. If your boss assigns projects with vague detail, politely ask for more information so you can meet his expectations. If your boss is overbearing regarding how he wants a task completed, calmly suggest an alternative. If your boss consistently passes off your work as his own, keep a log of when you spoke to your boss about your work projects and promote your accomplishments to other managers. If your boss is nice one minute and mean the next, try keeping the conversation focused on work issues and let it go.
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Prepare to leave and find another job. According to an article by Jeff Schmitt in Bloomberg Business Week, a sudden dramatic gesture such as a complaint letter to your CEO about your boss is not wise. Schmitt asks, "Is it worth a hole in your résumé, the one you'll be explaining for years to come?" Instead, Schmitt recommends continuing work as well as you can while building up the connections and experience you require to get another job.
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Keep on file positive comments and recommendations from clients and peers. Schmitt recommends using this good feedback to ready yourself for the job market. In addition, Schmitt also recommends positioning yourself in activities where you can lead and gain valuable experience. Remember, people are the key for a job opportunity outside of your immediate environment; therefore, you should network with people who work where you'd like to be. Broaden your range of activities so you are less dependent on your boss for your upward mobility.
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