Five tips to help you deal with a bad boss

So you don’t like your boss, or maybe your boss doesn’t like you. Either way, you two aren’t getting along and communication is breaking down. You’re starting to feel like the odd man or woman out on all the work that you once found fulfilling. But before you start heading toward the exit, perhaps you ought to reconsider. Having a bad boss can be an excellent opportunity to sharpen your leadership skills, so that you can lead everyone — even your boss — in the workplace. All that this requires from you is a proactive spirit and a desire to make the best office space possible.

One of the most common reasons for leaving a job is a incompetent or haughty supervisor, so let’s flip that proposition on its head and refuse the easy surrender. The most gratifying jobs can sometimes force us to interact with difficult people, so consider this an opportunity to get some practice in.

While you’re going at it, here are a few tips that might help:

Figure out if they’re actually a bad boss

There are many reasons we can start to resent someone, so, before you dismiss your boss totally, take some time and consider him/her fairly. Are their opinions, ideas and actions actually hurting the stakeholders in the current plan? If so, move forward with the other tips. Identify those failings, so that you can be sure to buttress yourself and others against future issues. But if they seem competent and create positive change and growth, reconsider your position. There is always the possibility that you have let your ego get in the way of a productive work environment.

Identify their motivations

Figure out why they’re acting the way they are. Gaining insight behind their actions might help you understand their desired bigger picture and management style, or it could help you understand why they’re mishandling the situation. Either way, this added layer of perception will definitely help you. A little compassion and empathy can cause you to become an active participant at the office, pushing it to new heights.

Don’t back down from your ideals

Don’t ever cower. Stand tall for your principles and make sure they are heard. If you truly believe in them, then they will hold water. Maybe the boss is stubborn or arrogant and is unwilling to allow you to build upon them, but if you’re willing to go to battle, so will your co-workers. If you don’t sacrifice any moral ground, then you have nothing for which to apologize. Plus, you never know who else might be listening. Your higher-ups could take notice.

Take the high road

Though you don’t want to back down, it is important to not turn into a tyrant yourself. Be flexible and competent. Listen. Take on the roles of your job with gusto and do them to the best of your ability. If your boss is a tough individual to deal with, offer yourself up as an example of what a good leader looks like. Show your co-workers respect, and you will be sure to get it back in spades. When angry or upset, keep your tone even, remain professional and leave the situation. Screaming or panic will only make everything more difficult later.

Avoid future bad bosses

As they say, hindsight is 20-20. If you decide to leave your current job, surely you don’t want to end up in the same situation at a different company. Be smart and do a little digging before your interview. Identify the likely people who will be in charge and see if you can recognize any similar patterns to bad bosses of working past. Take a potential co-worker out to lunch and ask them about the job’s environment. This kind of intelligence will help you make your future decision. Just make sure you’re not being weird about it.