Ever had to work with a difficult, angry, or grumpy boss for an extended period of time? Considering how much power a boss has over the workplace, there’s almost nothing that can derail one’s happiness and satisfaction at work like a boss who acts like he’s perpetually got a rock in his shoe.
And we’re not talking about a boss who gets in a bad mood once in a while. We’re talking about when a boss walks in Monday morning in a foul mood and sustains it until the Friday bell rings. Here are 10 tips for keeping hold of your sanity when the top brass seem to be losing theirs.
1) Make sure the problem isn’t actually you– Before you can determine what your course of action should be taken in dealing with a problem boss, make sure the problem isn’t you. It’s a hard thing to figure out, as most often when we’re wrong we don’t know it and have a hard time facing it. But if the rest of the staff gets along with the boss, and if you’re the only one who complains how they operate, there’s a chance the problem is you.
2) Remind yourself that your boss is human– Even though your boss has dominion over your current livelihood, it’s important to remember that he or she is a human being just like you, and that we all have personal things in our lives that can affect how we come off at work.
3) Try to figure out where they are coming from– Continuing with attempting to understand your boss’ actions, it’s important to try to understand what it is that sets your boss off into what you see as misbehavior. As a fellow human being, surely whatever is bothering them is at least comprehensible to you, and if you can identify some of yourself in them it’ll help ease you into a certain level of tolerance for their behavior.
4) Focus on simply doing a good job for the rest of your team– Depending on how easily you can rise above your boss’ actions, there’s always the option of just tuning him or her out and focusing on being part of the rest of your team and doing the best job you can.
5) Get ahead of your boss’s usual complaints– If you know what it is that sets your boss off, you can try to avoid doing it even if you think his or her behavior is out of line. The chances you’ll be able to get rid of your boss are slim, so sometimes the best option is just to try and manage them.
6) Don’t let their mood affect yours– If you boss doesn’t directly affect your daily process other than by spreading generally bad vibes, one option is to simply not allow their grumpy or difficult mood to drag you down. Again, try to tune them out if they come into the office complaining or bringing everyone down.
7) Avoidance– There’s always the option of simple avoidance. If your boss’ attitude really glitches up your workday, you may have to resort to simply not being around when he or she is. Go for a walk, go to lunch, take an important phone call. It’s not dissimlar from avoiding a bully in school.
8) Don’t take it personally– Chances are very good that whatever is causing your boss to be out of sorts has little or nothing to do with you. Maybe he hates his job, maybe THEIR boss is giving them a hard time, and maybe it has nothing to do with work. It’s important to keep emotion out of this kind of situation and remember that this is a work disagreement and not a personal vendetta.
9) Apologize– I know what you’re thinking. You didn’t do anything wrong, so why do you have to apologize? The reason is that an apology may work, and the pride sting you may feel when apologizing for something you don’t feel at fault for will be worth it if it defuses the bad blood with your boss.
10) Keep a record of their behavior– Worse comes to worse, something needs to be done. If you’re not into the idea of quitting your job, you may have to eventually go to HR to complain about your boss. This can be a very difficult path to tread, so we recommend you keep a detailed breakdown including dates and times that your boss has behaved in an improper manner. With a little luck, the issue will be resolved.
