Tips for a Passive-Aggressive Boss
Passive-aggressive bosses can make the work environment frustrating and unrewarding, so it is helpful to learn how to deal with one. A passive-aggressive boss often evokes a sense of insecurity in employees and seems to provoke chaotic situations at work. He may exhibit fears of dependency or intimacy as well as fear of competition, which can also result in creating obstacles for others or employees who tend to do well. The passive-aggressive boss also may play the "victim," where he consistently blames others for his own shortcomings or lack of productivity, then takes credit for the work others do.
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Work Around the Boss
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A passive-aggressive boss often procrastinates, shows up late for important meetings or gives misinformation or half-information to employees to keep them from working at an optimum level. Understanding this can help the employee work around it. When the boss says she needs the paperwork for a meeting at noon, but the schedule shows the meeting is at 10 a.m., have the paperwork prepared prior to the boss arriving for work that morning. This undermines her attempt to prevent the employee from producing quality work on time, and it can frustrate the passive-aggressive boss for her failed attempt at producing an obstacle.
Talk to Co-workers and Work Together
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Passive-aggressive bosses do not target a single employee, they generally target every employee as well as some consumers and delivery people if there is direct contact. If the employees understand the passive-aggressive boss's tactics and work together, they can effectively undermine the majority of passive-aggressive behaviors and improve the work environment, at least for the employees. The key, however, is encouraging the employees to work together without letting the boss see that they are taking measures to combat his passive-aggressive tactics.
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Kill'em with Kindness
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Passive-aggressive people, in general, have difficulty with social interactions and healthy relationships. As a result, they often seem to push people away and rarely offer praise or compliments, at least not in a genuine way. As difficult as it can be, remaining kind and understanding toward a passive-aggressive boss can seriously dampen her efforts to throw everyone in the office off balance. The more people in the work environment that take part in being kind and understanding, the more effective this tactic will be. It is important not to let any of the kindness come off as sarcasm, however, as this only fuels her aggressive behavior.
Consider Quitting
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When all else fails, consider finding another job. Sometimes the best course of action is to change course, and no job is worth being ridiculed or undermined or left in an emotional or stressed state consistently for no reason. Dust off and touch up your résumé, and consider submitting applications during lunch breaks or on weekends. Avoid looking for a job while at work, however, as the passive-aggressive boss will use you as an example to all other employees and may fire you before you have a chance to find a replacement job.
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References
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