If you have a lousy boss, you have our sympathy. It can really be a huge setback to what otherwise might be a rewarding and fulfilling career. A bad boss might leave you feeling undervalued and wondering if you should be on the market searching for something new. But before you scrawl out an exit strategy, it makes sense to rethink your situation and ways in which you can better manage your boss, even with all of their shortcomings and flaws.

You need to learn that having a bad boss provides the opportunities for developing skills and what not to do when you reach a management position. Research shows that being overworked is not the reason most people leave their jobs, they leave because they have managers who stress them out and leave them unhappy and depressed.

Shred Monkeys, your document scanning service in Orlando, offers you ways in which you can manage up your bad boss.

 

Make Sure that You are Dealing with a Bad Boss

Before you go about trying to fix your lousy boss, make sure that you are really dealing with one. The first thing you need to do is consider the reasons for their bad behavior.

You do this by observing them for a few days to see what things they do bad and what things they do that are good. The bad things that happen could be completely out of their control. When your boss does something bad, think about what reasons they could have for that action. It might be the right action for the situation.

Try to Identify Motivation

Maybe you are getting a ton of grief for taking lunch breaks your boss thinks are longer than what they should be. It may not make any difference to them that you take long lunch breaks, but they are getting grief from superiors for your actions so they feel they need to act on that.

Pull the Calendar

The president of your company has a brilliant idea that your boss implements right away. It’s just that with all of the other projects in your schedule, squeezing this in is next to impossible. Your boss tells you that if you skip a few lunches and work hard, everything will just be fine.

The way to handle this is by telling your boss that while you share their enthusiasm about the project, there are just as pressing issues that need to be dealt with right now. At this point, you pull out a printed calendar where every day for the next two weeks are filled with current tasks and the exact amount of time each one will take. You then ask your boss which of these tasks are unimportant enough to remove from your calendar to fit in the new project. Touche.

The Mean Boss

Everybody in the office knows when somebody has made a mistake because the boss yells at them. People are losing their hair and eating a lot of Tums because they are so stressed out.

The best way to deal with this type of boss is to kindly inform them that you are doing your best and there is no need for yelling or harsh words. You might even need to take a stand if you are getting yelled at for something you didn’t do. If your boss is way out of control, simply have a discussion with HR.

Realize that Bosses Don’t Know Everything

You might think you have a bad boss because they make some bad decisions and struggle with a few managerial skills. But here is the deal; your boss doesn’t know everything. It is quite easy to get caught up with the idea that your boss is all-knowing just because they are in a position of authority.

Once you realize that your boss is flawed just like you, it is easier to overlook the fact that they sometimes make mistakes and handle situations poorly.

If you are dealing with a bad boss, one way to deal with them is by doing something that really impresses them. If you were to call Shred Monkeys for their document scanning and shredding services, your boss will be impressed and probably give you a promotion and big raise.