WORKPLACE SPECIAL.....Survive a tough boss

Survive a tough boss   The boss makes the all the difference--to your progress and peace of mind. How to survive a tough one. Gallup research says people join companies but leave managers. So when should you quit if you have a poor manager? How do you deal with a bad boss and also retain your job? How do you work with a tough boss and grow without having to quit? Here are some tips to survival. What's your boss story?  Everyone has a boss story. What's yours? How do you describe your boss in your head, in your communication with family and friends? How does that make you feel? What you think about your boss ends up in your communication. People around reflect your words back, forging an environment that is difficult to break out of. If you are obsessed with a negative aspect of your boss, it becomes the cornerstone of your life. The situation then fills up your entire working day. So choose your words carefully in your mind. Who are you being? Put yourself in your boss's shoes. How do you come across to him? Are you sullen person resisting change or a person not meeting targets? A silent non-contributor in meetings or a constantly arguing colleague? Know that while he occupies a lot of your mind space, you occupy only a part of his. He has multiple people to manage and also deal with his own boss.  In the limited time that he needs you, wants to talk to you or wishes to get  things done, are you available? If not--are you adding fuel to the fire and making your professional life worse? You have a choice in who you want to be in the situation. Support authority: It's not a good idea to be seen as the person undermining the boss's authority and thus the basic structure of the company. If you badmouth the boss in public or in the presence of colleagues, it makes people uncomfortable even if they do not express it. Their confidence and trust in you reduces which does not help. In case you have genuine complaints regarding harassment or abuse and not  just interpersonal issues, reach out to HR or his superiors and keep your tone and complaint professional.Know that the organisation will rely on hard proof and witnesses and will come down heavily on the errant person in the situation. Get trust: Now that you have a better understanding of yourself and the environment, improve the situation. Understand your boss's working style. Next, work  towards enhancing trust in order to make your work fulfilling and your  personal space peaceful.Take small steps to signal your support for your  boss's agenda. Start by delivering what you promise and within deadlines.  Communicate your progress and failures in time and in polite language. Understand his priorities and support them. Offer help in implementation so his goals are furthered. Do not expect reciprocal trust in the short term. It will take time for your relationship to evolve. Get autonomy: Once you earned your boss's trust, it is time to leverage that trust. Ask for autonomy and decision making powers. “Do you want me to finish  the project on your behalf when you are out of town?“ is a suggestion that serves two purposes. It reduces his burden and gets you freedom to work without supervision. Expand your freedom by delivering on increasingly  larger projects. Increasing your autonomy will greatly increase your satisfaction, sidelining your current dissatisfaction with your boss. Get an outside view: Your boss is also a human being like you, more often than not struggling  to do a decent job at work and outside. To change your equation with him, understand who he is when away from his desk. Never miss an opportunity  to grab a coffee or a meal with him. Knowing more about his personal circumstances and pursuits outside the workplace helps you identify common interests and find common grounds to communicate and identify with. Get mentors: If you have a bad boss or a dysfunctional one, you might be losing out on learning opportunities. Seek a mentor or multiple figures both within the workplace and the industry. Know that you are establishing a mentor-mentee relationship consciously which means that you will need to invest time and establish reciprocity. As an alternative learning figure, your mentor would be someone you can discuss challenges with freely with and who can offer criticism without you reacting defensively. This is a person who will not channel your communication back to your boss or colleagues. Is it time to leave? How do you know whether it makes sense to continue with a difficult boss or it is time to leave? If every waking moment is occupied with your concerns about your relationship with your boss --then you are probably in the wrong job. Build a backup plan before you put in your papers or ask for a transfer. This is your last option, so be doubly sure that it is a situation that you cannot or are unable to sort out before you take the extreme step. Commit fully: If you are not quitting, commit fully to your role, team and boss. A passive wait and watch policy won't work. Once you are committed to making things work, new ideas will open up and you will do what it takes to succeed. Your commitment to a successful professional relationship  with your boss will find support amongst colleagues. You can review your progress every 3 months and decide afresh if things are going well enough to remain committed.

Devashish Chakravarty

ETW 2NOV15