Studies have shown that only 1 in 10 people have the inherent traits needed to be great managers. So chances are, at some point in your career you’re going to be dealing with a bad boss or you’re going to encounter a less-than-ideal leader. Watch Bobbie LaPorte’s April 12 “Your Best Next Move” video for tips on how to handle this all-too-common situation.
Tips for Dealing with a Bad Boss
Hi everyone, Bobbie LaPorte here again with my weekly tip for your Best Next Move – where I help you have more agency in your work, acknowledge your capacity to act and see what you can do right now.
A few weeks ago, I shared the results of a survey about the state of the manager and employee relationship during the pandemic. Unfortunately, 2/3 of those surveyed said that their relationship with their boss had gotten worse during this time.
We know that inspiring worker’s job satisfaction is possibly the single most important thing a company can do – and bosses play a bigger role in that than you think, as evidenced by another recent survey on this topic by McKinsey, where 75% of the survey respondents reported that the most stressful part of their job was their relationship with their manager. Wow!
We’ve talked before in these tips about ways you can be a better manager – like checking in on people vs. checking up on them; understanding that people have different needs for things like autonomy vs. direction, and mining their untapped skills and talents to help build capacity for them and the organization.
But what if you have a bad boss? Look, there are bad bosses everywhere – and it’s not always their fault. Gallup’s research contends that only one in ten people possess the necessary traits that great managers exhibit, traits that include building relationships that create trust, and open dialogue and transparency.
One in ten – that’s amazing!
This past week I spoke with a number of clients who have very challenging relationships with their managers. It happens to all of us at least once, and often multiple times throughout our careers. Not surprising given that statistic I just shared. So, if this is your situation, what can you do when dealing with a bad boss?
So, here’s my tip (actually 2 tips)
1. Consider that this is just one point in time – on “blip” on the radar screen of your career. Sure, it is frustrating and puzzling for you, but there will be other opportunities and other managers down the road. So, don’t dwell on it too much: this too shall pass.
2. Always take the enterprise view – what is right for the business – in all of your interactions and intentions. If you always take that approach you will never go wrong (even if others think differently) and you will be building that important strategic view muscle that will help you handle future difficult situations more effectively.
I want 2021 to be a year of momentum for you, one of possibility thinking where you take advantage of the agency, we sometimes forget we have.
That’s my tip for this week. I’ll see you next Monday; take care of yourselves!