Have you seen the recent film called ‘Horrible Bosses’? The main plot follows three friends who devise a plan to get rid of their respective overbearing and abusive bosses who they believe are standing in the way of their happiness.
Having a horrible boss is something almost everyone has experienced during their career path. Your experience may not be as dramatic as those in the film but it is likely to have affected your career development in some way. Your morale at work may have dropped significantly, your performance may have decreased or it may have even resulted in your resignation. It can ultimately lead you to feeling very stressed at work.
If your boss is making you feel stressed, consider your options and try to find a strategy to help relieve this stress before you become extremely frustrated and it has an impact on both your work and life.
When working out your strategy, it can be easy to jump to the conclusion that you only have two options: to put up with it or resign. However, there are other options you can try first….
1. You may be able to resolve the problem using alternative methods of working. If you are stuck for ideas, consider if there is anyone else you trust at work who may be experiencing the same issue and ask how they are dealing with it. You could even seek the help of a career coach who would help you to come up with solutions. Career and performance coaching has the benefits of being objective and confidential.
2. Also consider talking to your boss about it. Plan the conversation beforehand so that you are able to speak confidently and professionally. During the meeting ensure you find out what their expectations are of you and how they think you are doing in terms of meeting those expectations. You may discover that your boss does not even realise there is a problem. See if you can come up with a solution which will benefit both you and your boss.
Finally, remember not to burn any bridges in the route you choose to take. You never know who knows who!
Tessa Armstrong, Career and Performance Coach, Tessa Armstrong Associates
