ON-THE-JOB SPECIAL...HOW TO HANDLE AN ARROGANT BOSS?

WHEN YOUR BOSS GETS BOSSY 

Arrogant bosses not only can be poor performers themselves but also negatively affect their subordinates’ performance in the bargain.

    Everyone will agree to the fact that not everybody is lucky to have a nice boss. That’s because most of us end up having a bad boss. Bad bosses however, come in different shapes, sizes and appearances. It’s their personality traits that determines and earns them notoriety. Some yell, some are dumb and incapable, others dump too much work on employees, while some are creepy and make you uncomfortable. But what do you when you are dealing with a snobbish narcissistic arrogant boss, who’s constantly criticising you with an air of high-handedness? According to a recent study, arrogant bosses have been equated with poor performance. It concluded that such bosses are typically poor performers who can drain the bottom line by slighting subordinates to mask their own insecurities and creating organisational dysfunction. BT spoke to experts to find solutions for both subordinates and bosses too.
EMPLOYEES’ ZEAL FOR WORK IS REDUCED
Susan Mark (name changed), 26, a photographer by profession totally agrees with the study and recounts her personal experience. “Arrogant bosses not only demotivate their employees but drain out their peace of mind. Once, I had done a fabulous job at my work. But not only did my boss not appreciate me, she also accused me of being clueless about how I do things. I know for sure my zeal towards work has reduced after that incident.” Off late, Susan has been having nightmares about work. “I also feel very uncomfortable coming to work because of which I have decided to quit. I think, it’s better to work with a firm that respects you than work with a firm where no one bothers about your existence,” regretfully she says.
THEY LACK INSIGHT INTO THEIR BEHAVIOUR
Such bosses usually have a lower level of performance and their lack of modesty and humility makes them poor leaders. Their arrogance leaves employees disgruntled and poorly motivated to perform. Arrogant bosses usually are low on self-esteem and high on narcissism. They are self-centered, lack empathy and have an exaggerated sense of self-importance, opines consultant psychiatrist Dr Milan Balakrishnan. He adds, “They do not refrain from exploiting others for their personal gain and are preoccupied with their position of power. The biggest problem with arrogant bosses is that they lack insight into their behaviour.”

HOW TO KEEP YOUR CHIN UP
Psychologist Manasi Hassan suggests the following tips for subordinates/employees:
Know your strengths and weakness: Don’t be a push over just because you may have low self-esteem or you may have a high need for desirability and keeping others happy. Focus on your strengths and optimise your efficiency for your own growth.
Don’t personalise: Don’t let your bosses arrogance have a negative impact on your self-image. Once you have realised that it’s the boss’s ‘attitude’ don’t try hard to change it or let it affect the way you perceive
yourself.
Keep your focus: Let your focus be your work and increasing your e f f i c i e n cy. Don’t let your work place become a place where you need approval from your boss.
Be objective not subjective: Monitor your progress objectively not on the basis of your boss’s
attitude.
Act assertively not passively: You don’t have to give in to an arrogant boss. You need to assert yourself as and when required. Don’t put up with high demands just to please and be unhappy yourself.
    Leave your boss in the office: Don’t carry your bosses behaviour pattern in other aspects of your life. Don’t let it affect you all the time and consume your positive energy in just analysing his/her behaviour and trying to make an impression.

BEING AN EFFECTIVE LEADER
Psychologist Manasi Hassan suggests the following tips for  bosses to keep their behaviour in check:
    A boss needs to know that he/she is not invincible:
Realise it’s not a one man show, but team work. Keeping the team in good spirits and motivated will increase efficiency and accelerate growth. Be a part of the team: Encourage your team and be a part of it, if you make them feel worthy they will be more efficient with the positive sense of encouragement, thereby increasing productivity. Ego: Ego is often the cause for downfall in interpersonal relationships. Don’t let your ego become a wall between your professional and personal success.
    Positive reinforcement vs punishment: Remember, positive reinforcement will yield you better outcomes then negative reinforcement. Being arrogant and over pressurising others may lead to short-term gains but long-term disappointments.
    Be a mentor not a ruler: Be a role model for others help them learn and grow rather then dominate them with fear and pressure.

Lisa Antao

QUICK TIPS
Try to assess the personality of the boss especially during un-official meetings. Learn from the experiences of previous employees and collect as much information as possible. Identify the good moods, bad moods and go for an important agenda only when he/she is in a good mood. State your point of view without getting into an argument. If your boss demands a big project to be done overnight, smartly buy time by offering to show him a rough draft.
Massage the ego of your boss when required without being a sycophant.
Most importantly, be a good hardworking and punctual employee whom the most arrogant of bosses cannot ignore.
    — Dr Milan Balakrishnan,     consultant psychiatrist  BT120810