What to Do When You Have a Bad Boss

Have you ever watched the movie, Horrible Bosses?  If not, you should because it is a pretty funny movie.  The three main characters have three separate bosses who make their lives miserable.  As a last resort, they decide to get rid of them.

Here is a short clip, which will give you a taste of one of these bad bosses.

Hopefully, you have never had a boss like this one, but I am sure you have probably had at least one or two bad bosses throughout your career.

I know I have.

I have been blessed to have worked for some exceptional leaders who mentored me and helped me throughout my career.

On the flip side, I’ve had several supervisors that caused me to dread coming to work.  According to Gallup, over 50% of employees who leave their job do so because of their supervisor.  In other words, because of a bad boss.

Are you working for that kind of boss right now?  If so, there are several important factors to keep in mind, which will help you survive and maybe even thrive.

Bosses Change Frequently

Assignments frequently change.  Promotions happen.  People leave for other opportunities.  The needs of the department change.  These are just a few of the factors that will help make the time you have to work for your lousy boss only temporary.

When you have a bad boss, it seems like you will be stuck with him or her forever when you are in the moment.  However, nothing could be further from the truth, especially in our field.

In my career, I only stayed in a particular assignment or shift more than four years straight on one occasion up until I was appointed chief.  And on that one occasion, my supervisor changed several times.

You must hang in there until either you move or your supervisor is moved.

One of those two things will happen before you know it.

Do Exceptional Work

Regardless of what type of boss you have, always strive to do the best job possible.  In the long run, you will benefit from this mindset.  Your great work may lead to a new and better assignment or might even result in a promotion.  Either way, you will likely have a different boss.

If you don’t perform at your best, others will likely notice.  When an opportunity pops up in the future, the decision makers may skip you because of your mediocre work in the past.

People are always watching.  Never forget that.

I know.  It is hard to come to work with a smile and do your best when your supervisor is doing everything possible to sabotage your career and make your life difficult.

It is hard to dress sharp and remain positive when you work for a slob who criticizes everyone constantly.

Listen and Learn

I have found that I can learn something from almost any situation I find myself in.  That is precisely what you should do if you find yourself working for a bad boss.

Observe and learn.

When I have worked for a bad boss or even a good boss with a few bad traits, I have learned what not to do and how not to treat people.

From my micromanager supervisor, I learned to give people their space.

From my hard, by the book supervisor, I learned to have compassion.

From my supervisor that stretched the truth, I learned to be honest.

From my disrespectful supervisor, I learned to treat people with respect.

The list could go on and on.  I think you get the point.  Listen to your bad boss, observe his or her actions and learn from their mistakes.

If you do this, you will be a better supervisor, leader, and boss.

Conclusion

Working for a bad boss can seem like a heavy burden while you are experiencing it.  However, it may be a blessing if you have the right frame of mind and use that experience to propel your career.

Learn from the mistakes others make and do not make those same mistakes with others.

If you work for a great boss, be thankful and celebrate that fact.  Learn all you can from your boss and enjoy it while you can.

If you work for a bad boss right now, take a deep breath.  Do your best every day, learn the mistakes not to make in the future and remember that you are in a temporary situation.

Everything will be ok.

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