How to Deal With a Boss You Hate: 5 Ways to Cope

You May Hate Your Boss, But You Still Have to Get Along to Succeed

How to Deal With A Boss You Hate And Still Keep Your Job

Maybe your boss is a militant micromanager. Or maybe he’s like Dabney Coleman’s character in the hit movie 9-5 and he’s simply a sexist, egotistical, lying, hypocritical bigot. In short, you have a boss from hell. Thing is, while you loathe your boss, you still love your job — and would like to keep it. Here is how to deal with a boss you hate:

5. Take a Look in the Mirror

The first step toward improving a relationship always starts with accountability.

So take a good, long, and objective look at your relationship with your boss. What is it that makes you hate your boss? Is it his condescending tone or does he shoot down your ideas during meetings? It could be that you’re being overly sensitive to certain situations.

Focusing on where the problem truly lies (maybe you’ve never gotten over the fact that you were passed over for a promotion) can help you better deal with your boss.

4. Put Yourself in Your Boss' Shoes

If you’ve done a thorough analysis of the situation and still believe your boss is a little, well, insane, look at things from his perspective.

Sure, he may be micromanaging you, but that might stem from his own boss breathing down his neck. By having some sympathy for your boss and all the pressure that he is under to perform, you may be able to tolerate his tics better.

3. Document Everything

Even if your boss is being overly demanding, you still shouldn’t tolerate incessant interruptions or perpetual put-downs. So keep track of each and every time that your boss acts inappropriately or unprofessionally with you.

Not only will writing down each incident provide you with some clarity as you reread your words over again, but it can also allow you to vent and calm you down — and potentially prevent you from storming into your boss’ office and resigning.

2. Schedule a Meeting

If you’re totally and completely fed up with your boss’ negative attitude, you need to have a conversation to clear the air.

Schedule a meeting with your boss (in-person if possible, or via Skype or over the phone if you work from home), and bring your list of grievances with you. In the most professional (read: non-accusatory) way possible, refresh your boss’ brain about each incident and how it negatively affected you.

It’s quite possible that your boss isn’t even aware of how he’s acting and may try to make amends for his bad behavior.

1. Don't Quit 'Til You're Ready

You’ve exhausted every avenue possible to try to make your relationship work with your boss. Sometimes, though, it’s simply not meant to be.

Try to look for another job while you’re still employed (and sane!) and give plenty of notice if you decide to quit. That way, you look professional and can still hopefully use your boss as a job reference in the future.

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