There are only a few things that can make a 9-5 day at work seem longer than it already is, like not being able to check Instagram during the day, Kanye West being off Twitter, oh, and a boss that makes you want to claw your eyes out.
We’ve all been there. You’re wondering if the pit in your stomach was caused by the tequila shots you had last weekend, or the manager breathing down your neck. Or you’re day dreaming that you could be starring in Horrible Bosses, and even though murder is totally against your moral compass (it is…right?!). you’re highly considering it. Because you literally can’t stand the sight of the person that signs your paycheck, which could be a real issue if you have a shopping problem…I mean, habit.
It’s not expected that you get along perfectly with everyone in your work life, but I do believe that people work for people, not companies. Because it feels like we are spending literally all our time at work (if you’re like me and go to bed at 9 pm, you literally are), you need to find a way to survive that boss you hate. So what the f*ck is a boss betch supposed to do? Here are three things to do when you hate your boss.
1. Make Sure Their Attitude Has NOTHING To Do With You
As much as you might want to crawl up in a ball and beg for a cake of rainbows and sunshine every time your boss talks to you, this person still ultimately pays your bills. Before you go full-on 2007 Brittany Spears, take a quick look in the mirror. Now that you’ve confirmed your Kylie lip kit looks great, REALLY look in the mirror (AKA, the expression that means…check yourself). Are you doing everything in your power to make sure that you and your boss are getting along? As much as you might hate this person in your life, you still need to ensure that YOU are being a good employee.
If you feel like you are respectful, do things the first time you’re asked, and are not making your manager’s life harder, try doing something proactive for your boss. Do they ask for the same report every week? Pull it for them without them having to ask for it. Do they like things done a very specific way? Make sure everything you do follows those guidelines without being reminded.
If you feel like you’re an absolutely perfect employee (I’m SURE you are), know that managers are under a looooooot of pressure. At least for me, if I can identify a source for someone being a jerk, it’s a little easier to understand why they are acting this way, and what I can do to help.
2. Have A Calm, Constructive Conversation
If your boss specifically does something that completely irks you, and therefore, makes it more difficult to work, you should definitely consider providing feedback. Caveat: DON’T ever initiate this kind of conversation if you are in any kind of emotional state. You don’t want to say something you’ll regret, and it’s important you get your message across.
If you can identify the specific things your manager could be doing to make your life less miserable, it’s never bad to ask for these things. I’ve had managers before that LITERALLY expected me to read their minds (cool, thanks, glad they thought I had super powers). Once I started asking for them to be more explicit in their directions, and asking the questions until I fully understood the assignment, the problems vanished.
You can even say something like, “I want to ensure I always understand what you are looking for in an assignment. Could we set up a process for directions so I can get it right the first time? It will save both of us time to never have to go back and edit!” Now, this is just one example, but the point is, if you can provide feedback in a way that sounds more constructive and positive than critical, you’ll likely get a positive response.
If your boss is still continually a bully, consider asking them what’s up. I would set up a meeting time (so you aren’t catching anyone off guard), and say that you’ve noticed you don’t have the most productive relationship. Ask if there’s anything you can do to make their life easier, because you want to be the best employee possible, blah blah blah. Whatever you do, make it about making THEIR life easier and in turn, hopefully it’ll positively affect yours too.
3. Assess: Is It Worth It?
In an ideal world, you are spending 8+ hours a day in a somewhat tolerable situation. You aren’t crying yourself to sleep every night because of something your boss said to you, or thinking that The Devil Wears Prada was actually modeled after your work situation.
If that’s not the case, you have some decisions to make. If you’re in the perfect job that’s completely going to elevate your career in some way, then it’s often worth it just to suck it up for a certain amount of time. Find a way to block out the noise, put your head down and get to f*cking work.
If your job situation is so-so in the first place AND you can’t stand your boss, keep in mind that you probably won’t get promoted or get a raise, because your manager doesn’t have your back. Maybe it’s time to start looking for a new job. If you do choose this, I would *highly* advise not to up and leave in a fit of rage. LOL. Find a new job, leave on good terms, and put this jerk you’re dealing with behind you!
When you do look for a job in the future, make sure you get to know who will be your manager. Make sure you get all sorts of good vibes, their employees aren’t secretly bawling in the bathroom, and you hopefully won’t get yourself into a sh*tty situation again.
…And that concludes my TED talk. Have you ever had a boss you hated? Comment below and share how you dealt with it!
Read more: betches.com
