Nasty Boss Making Your Life Hell? – Here are a Few Tips to Survive One

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Having a mean person for a superior will not only harm your growth but also harm your health and add to your already peaking stress levels. Studies have shown that having a bad boss usually leads to health issues, from ulcers to migraines. Most of the time we are at a loss at how to handle a tricky situation like this, how to tackle a person who is holding the reins of your career growth.

What brings out this unpleasant side in people? Being in the position of power fuels their inherent tendency to ill-treat others. A mean nasty boss is just an overgrown bully. More often than not most bullying bosses are very good at their jobs, that’s the reason they have managed to move up the ladder, this further gives them the sense of being indispensable in the company and they feel they can get away with anything.

There is another theory that the bullying is an overt manifestation of deep-seated insecurity and feeling of inadequacy in them. They feel threatened by the people around and aggressive behaviour is just another way to mask their fears.

The variety of bad bosses you might come across can range from the tyrannical ones who have the sole aim of making your life a living hell and the very thought of them can make you cringe, or the subtle manipulators who smooth talk you into working your rear off for their own personal benefits, you will also find the micro-managers who just control freaks with power, who meddle in everyone’s business, nit-pick on from the colour of the font you used to the way you stand. You will also meet the incompetent ones, who know nothing and want to do everything their way; they can be rather frustrating to work with.

Find other opportunities and exit

If the situation is costing you your health and mental peace and the problem is beyond your endurance and control and nothing seems to work, then the only option is to start looking for other opportunities and make an exit.
But it usually takes time before you have an offer in your hand and you can leave, so until then you have to survive in your current workplace in the current situation.

Diplomacy and Flattery

Quite a few people find it better to resort to flattery when they have a tyrant for a boss. This might work for you as well. Just cajoling the boss’ ego might do the trick and you can have some peace of mind. Give them credit when you present them with an idea, appreciate their suggestions, these might work in your favour and it’s better than facing their misbehaviour day in and day out.

Keep doing your job and stay positive

When flattery is not your scene and, you also prefer to avoid any direct confrontation, then the next best thing to do is to lie low and look past the misbehaviour, ignore it, and continue doing your work. Most nasty bosses are just overgrown bullies and your discomfort will most likely further encourage them. If they see you unperturbed, they just might lose interest.
Coming to work unhappy and frustrated is not going to help you, make a conscious effort to stay in a positive state of mind and try to ignore things about your boss that exasperate you.

Even if your boss is a micromanager, the best thing to do is to keep communicating and trying to find all the details of the task at hands and try to do it the way your boss fancies it. You will never be able to 100% satisfy them but you give it your best shot and have them off your back for a while.

Communicate with the boss

This is particularly true when the boss is an incompetent one, he is there as a boss because he just got lucky and moved up the ladder, but has no skill or experience for the job. Having an incompetent boss can be very frustrating for the workers, especially when the workers have been in the company for a longer time and have more experience. But here is the chance for you to form an alliance, be the bigger person, share information with the boss without making them feel incompetent. This way you might get your work was done and the boss might see you as an ally. Finding a common ground and developing a trust over time can work with most bosses and you can gain some autonomy in your work in due course of time.

Form a support system around you

If you are suffering at the hands of a toxic boss, there are bound to be others in your office as well. Reaching out to them for support will help you face the situation better. Don’t get alienated in the workplace; make sure to strike a conversation with your co-workers, keep the channels of communication open. Also, seek the emotional support of your family and friends, knowing there are people who care and support you goes a long way in handling bad situations.
Remember bad bosses are found dime a dozen, escaping the lot is not easy, you will bump into one sooner or later, so don’t lose you sleep over the situation and just find an effective way to handle them.

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