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Is Your Boss Really That Bad?
by
Diane Domeyer, executive director of Office Team
Being able to work well with your boss is
crucial to your career success. Your manager not only wields significant
influence over your professional advancement, but also can affect your job
satisfaction — and even your overall happiness.
But what can you do if you have a bad boss? Instead of giving up hope, take
a step back and consider how your actions and attitudes affect how the two
of you communicate. Following is a primer on identifying three of the most
common types of “challenging” supervisors and ways of improving the
situation.
The Micromanager
Instead of delegating tasks, a micromanager tells you exactly how, when and
where to do them. Directives are given in painstaking detail and status
updates are demanded constantly.
Action: Conduct a self-appraisal to determine if you’ve given your
boss reason to doubt your abilities and limit your autonomy. Have you missed
deadlines or mismanaged important projects? If so, focus on rebuilding your
reputation. If feedback on your performance has always been positive, then
explain to your manager that you’re ready to take on more responsibility
with less direct supervision.
The Poor Communicator
Unlike the micromanager, the poor communicator provides little or no
direction. Your assignments often must be completed in a mad frenzy at the
last minute or redone because goals and deadlines weren’t clearly explained.
Action: Although the poor communicator may feel too overworked to
take the time to provide instruction, it’s more likely your boss is simply
unaware that a hands-off management style creates problems. That’s why, as
an administrative professional who usually supports one or more bosses, it’s
doubly important that you emphasize the importance of receiving all the
necessary information upfront to avoid confusion and save time.
The Toxic Boss
Toxic bosses may reprimand or belittle you in front of colleagues, take full
credit for your hard work or simply enjoy instilling fear in employees.
Doing so can undermine your efforts, hold you back professionally and
disrupt your ability to work happily and effectively.
Action: Unfortunately, some bosses can negatively influence your
career, and no amount of effort on your part can remedy the situation. If
you’ve already confronted your boss about his or her behavior and have seen
no improvement, consider speaking to another manager or the human resources
department. Eventually, it may be best for you to request a transfer or seek
employment elsewhere.
Although some bosses are bad, in many cases, they’re better than you think.
Examining your actions and how they contribute to your supervisor’s
behavior, as well as improving the lines of communication, can often help
you improve your relationship with your manager.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Diane Domeyer is executive
director of OfficeTeam, the nation’s leading staffing service specializing
in the temporary placement of highly skilled administrative and office
support professionals. OfficeTeam has more than 300 locations worldwide and
offers online job search services at
www.officeteam.com.
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