Bully boss

No boss is perfect, no human is either. We all have our weaknesses and strengths, trying to capitalize on an individual weakness is as bad as blackmailing the individual. But then there are some bosses who make you believe they are “hell-sent” to frustrate your life and suck every atom of courtesy you have left. Ever had a boss who you always felt like punching in the face to send home your thoughts? Well before you do, there may be some steps to avoid the immediate sack and probable legal action you would be facing if you throw that punch.

WHO IS A BULLY BOSS

Occasional aggressive behavior is not always a bad trait for any leader, it is actually helpful if expressed in a constructive manner. On the other hand, if your boss resorts to verbally abusing or humiliating you, purposely discrediting all your jobs and just seem to make your life a misery, you should know you are on to a bully. Dealing with bullies can be an uphill task but if you know the rudiments, you will not only be able to work under your boss but you may also win him over.

HOW DO I DEAL WITH A BULLY BOSS?

I will outline some steps you could use to effectively deal with a bully boss and win him over to your side (if you are lucky);

1. EVALUATE YOURSELF: Have you ever stopped to ask if there was any way you could change your behavior to solve the aggression? This doesn’t mean your boss has always been right all along, it means owing up to what you have control over, Yourself!!! Think of what you say, how you say and when you say it, check your boss reaction to this and check if there is any way you can say it better. Once you know this, you can more easily avoid situations that normally lead to aggressive outbursts. As a general rule, never respond to abusive or aggressive behaviors, it does no good and simply adds to the already heated atmosphere.

 

 

2. AVOID EMOTIONAL ARGUMENTS: THERE ARE TWO SIDES TO EVERY CONFLICT. THE FACTS AND THE EMOTIONS. IN THE HEAT OF AN ARGUMENT, YOU MAY BE TEMPTED TO TELL YOUR BOSS TO GO TO HELL (Sometimes, they really should). While this may give you momentary satisfaction from being able to stand up for yourself, you would most likely wish you had handled it in a more mature way later on. Always try to lead them back to rational thinking during such fists of outburst and maintain your composure, it actually helps a lot.

3. VISIT HR: If your organization has a human resource department, try contacting them to intimate them with the current trend of happenings between you and your boss. Never be scared to approach them and be sure of what you say. They are more professional in handling this situation more than you do and as such would be better knowledgeable on how to resolve this than you do.

4. RUN!!!When all fails, it is probably time to move on to something better. Sometimes, no matter how much you try, you can never be able to deal with a boss effectively. At this juncture, you need to look back and plan ahead. Your health comes first, staying alive is the pre-requisite to working for anyone, if you decide to stay and end up with a nervous breakdown, you would realize how indispensable you really were to your employer.

… to your success
McTimothy Associates Team.
Follow us on
Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn