When Bad Bosses Happen to Good Employees

[admin]

Hopefully, your direct supervisor is a “good egg” – looking out for his employees, using every opportunity to advance their careers and anxious for anything that will assist the business. There are, however, a few bad bosses out there whose lack of leadership, fear of failure or of being “upstaged,” or outright lack of skills impact negatively on the very people whose welfare should be his primary concern. If you are in such a situation, what are you to do? What actions can you take to stop the undermining of your superior performance by your bad boss?

First, you must recognize the seriousness of your situation. It is the better performers who consistently lose more under a bad boss. Therefore, the situation must either change, be changed, or eventually you must move yourself out. Unfortunately, bad bosses rarely change by themselves so YOU have to be the change initiator. Because bad bosses are often insecure, you must be smart in how you go about accomplishing your mission of affecting change.

1. Work for change first on matters that focus outward from the department rather than inward. For example, initiate change in external service to customers or communication with other departments (something more likely to get everyone one the same team) rather than trying to deal with sensitive internal issues such as job assignments, which a supervisor might view as an invasion of his or her authority.

2. When making proposals, have a well-thought-out plan and present it clearly and succinctly. Bad bosses are notoriously both dense and impatient. Make it easy for the boss to agree with your suggestion. Literally lay it out on a silver platter. Anticipate issues that would cause hesitation and deal with them openly. Articulate for your boss the advantages for the company, and tacitly indicate why the change would ultimately reflect well on him or her.

3. Get buy-in from coworkers. Look for and develop enthusiasm for your ideas among your peers. Then use their influence to bring the pressure of group enthusiasm on a reluctant manager. Align yourself with those who have positive, can-do attitudes. Distance yourself from those who constantly criticize and belly-ache but offer no solutions.

4. Don’t insist on receiving the credit. Former President Ronald Reagan once said, “It is amazing what you can accomplish if you don’t care who gets the credit.” Keep the focus on solving problems and making things better; let the glory fall where it may. Although a bad boss may initially try to steal some of your glory, usually the truth will out and other individuals, including your coworkers, will see your talents and abilities. Workplaces today are more horizontal than ever before, with much inter-department mingling. The result is that a person who possesses strong analytical skills and is result-oriented will be noticed by others in the company.

5. Do not badmouth the boss. Remember that your campaign for change needs that boss, bad as he or she may be, as an ally. Many a budding relationship of trust between supervisor and worker have been nipped by overheard criticism.

Ultimately, you must protect yourself. It is disaster for a superior employee to stay in the stifling environment of a bad boss. If you have tried to change the bad situation and have given sufficient time for the change to occur, and there is no movement, then you have to look for the door. Good talent is always desired somewhere and the BEST talent is desired many places, so move your talent to where it will be fostered and used – by a good boss.

by J. Lenora Bresler from Woman To Woman

[Sue]

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