So you’ve finally met your boss! And as it is looking, you don’t really like him or her, huh, or else you wouldn’t be reading this, right?
Even before you said “yes” to this job, you more or less knew that you are going to work under the supervision of someone in a higher position than you are (even if you applied as a manager!) Given this, you must have prepared yourself to be constantly put on your toes by somebody else. You should also be aware of the fact that your boss has the right to be “bossy” up to a certain extent. Definitely, he/she is in the position to make sure that work is done properly among his/her constituents.
However, having a domineering personality may easily become out-of-hand and extremely toxic to deal with when it comes off in the form of impatience, tactlessness, intolerance, and unrealistic expectations. It is completely unmotivated to work with and for this kind of boss, and it is totally understandable if, right now, you are thinking about quitting your work. But even before making such drastic decision, here are some things you can do to avoid being bossed around by your boss (or at least, to tolerate his/her attitude).
1. Focus on your work
The first thing you can do is to disregard the awful presence of your boss and direct your energy on your work. You may try to show how any negativity from anyone is not going to affect the quality of the outputs being asked from you. Your boss may even just want to challenge your patience and attitude by domineering you. Take time to cool down from an upsetting encounter and remain calm at all times as much as possible. Your commitment to your work will speak for you, and maybe, eventually, your boss will cut you some slack for seeing your patience and hard work.
2. Stay positive
From your words and actions, your boss will certainly pick up if he/she is already getting to you. Try to remain tactful when talking to your boss. Do not instill fear that may keep you from approaching or consulting with him/her. If you can master to employ some humor during an encounter, do so! You may get another snide comment back, but at least your boss sees that you are trying to get him/her to laugh or just to smile. Just make sure to make a clean joke or throw a nice comment at an appropriate time.
3. Maintain an honest and open communication
Your boss may not be the most tactful of all, but you already know better than to follow to his/her example. As the new employee, you are expected to be respectful. The time will come when perhaps, you will need to open up about how the way your boss talks makes you uncomfortable or how his/her treatment of you is offensive. Try your best to be direct in communicating your matters even if it is about your own boss’s behavior. Do not gossip unless it’s with a few trusted people who experience the same things as you. If you feel like you can still talk with your boss to smooth things out, try so. Do not let the situation be more complicated than it is.
4. Check if you are being singled-out
This is very important. Is your boss being inconsiderate and tactless to everyone in the workplace or to only you? If it is the former, then you may deal with your boss by doing the first items as advised, as you know that his/her behavior should be nothing personal to you. However, if you think that you are already being bullied by your boss and that no more cautionary steps could be taken to maintain a tolerable relationship between the two of you, then it is time to get some help.
5. Talk to human resource
The Human Resource is surely at the right position to help fix the interrelations of the employees in the company. It is their job to maintain fairness in the way workers are compensated and treated and to ensure that everybody experiences a healthy lifestyle in the workplace, which includes social relationships and mental health.
Setting a meeting with the Human Resource is the worst that your situation with your bossy boss could get, unless you also talk with your boss’s boss or have a legal counsel from outside your work assist you. At this point, it is better to gather all proof that you could get as the judgment would strongly rely on this. You may also get the support of your coworkers who experience and can testify against your boss’s infamous attitude towards his/her constituents. Set your facts straight and remain a professional until the end, even if this could afford you to lose your job.
Do not be discouraged with your job and with your work life in general. Sometimes, it just so happens that you get to work with toxic people who can drain the energy out of you. You should know that no matter your position is or the length of time you have stayed in a company, no one is entitled to steal your own peace of mind. These challenging people you get to deal with may teach you a thing or two, but at the end of the day, only you get to decide what you would be willing to trade or how much you could put up with for your job.
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