Shortly after I graduated from college, I was sentenced to work for a horrible boss. I’m not sure if he had teeth because he never smiled – he just seemed to be ticked off about something all the time, and I never knew what was going through his mind because he grunted more than he spoke, often times in vulgarities.
When I took my L.E.T. Workshop back in 2006, I couldn’t stop thinking about him and wished I had the knowledge and communication skills I learned to navigate my way through our interactions. My life would have been much easier.
If you’re stuck working for a horrible boss, consider these eight tips to make your life quite a bit easier and a lot less stressful:
- Don’t take anything personal. Your bad boss was a bad boss long before you ever met him or her. They are likely the way they are because they never received any form of management training which adds unneeded stress to their lives. They may be brilliant, boasting a high I.Q., (which they may boast about often) but their technical aptitude doesn’t mean they have people skills.
- As my father taught me from early on, your only security in life is your ability to produce. If you’re good at what you do and prove your worth to the company you work for, you’re surely valued by many others. Even if your manager has tried to throw you under the bus for his mistakes, have faith that everyone who matters knows the truth.
- Accept it. Unless your boss is caught stealing from the coffers or does something to place the entire company in jeopardy, you’re boss is your boss. If s/he is too much to deal with,or if they are impeding your personal or professional growth, make a change. This may be tough to do in a sour economy, but if you can prove you produce, (see #2) someone, somewhere will want to talk with you.
- No matter how tempting it may be, inside the office or out, bite your tongue. Any negative thing you say may come back to haunt you. You never really know who is listening,and you never know who may be setting you up. In other words, keep it to a one-drink minimum at the company Christmas party.
- Remember that you are who you hang out with. If you hang out with top-producers who have high integrity and character, you become one of them. If you hang out with those who can’t stop talking about how awful everything is, well, good luck with that.
- Treat your boss and your colleagues the way you would like to be treated. If it goes around, it will come around.
- Pick up an L.E.T. book (or download it from iTunes) – it will be the best twenty bucks you ever spent. Employ the skills you learn such as Active Listening, I-Messaging, Communication Roadblocks, conflict resolution and other communication skills at every opportunity. It has magical effects,and it will change your life. Guaranteed. If you think the book is only meant for leaders, well, you are a leader. Leadership has nothing to do with the title someone gives you.
- Read Dale Carnegie’s book, How to Win Friends and Influence People. Take note of the titles of the chapters: Do This and You will Be Welcome Anywhere, A Simple Way to Make a Good First Impression, How to Make People Like You Instantly, How to Get Cooperation, Let the Other Person Save Face, etc. Enough said.
- Lead by example. Remember that people will always be looking to you as an example of how to act. Don’t let them down. This is what leadership is all about!
Follow these nine suggestions and you will quickly earn the respect and admiration of your peers and your boss’ boss. Have faith. You’ll see what happens next.