Abstract composition of business leadership. Broken eggs under mans shoes.
getty
A toxic boss is one with who you dread speaking to or being around; the boss can make you feel insignificant. He/she is arrogant, irritable, inflexible, and can instantly suck the life and enjoyment from employees by simply entering the room. This boss only motivates you to find a new job! Know anyone like this?
A research study conducted by the University of Manchester School of Business revealed that employees that work for toxic bosses have lower job satisfaction and scored higher on the scale of clinical depression. The boss’s mood determines the climate of the office environment, even if it’s a virtual one. His/her mood impacts the morale of every employee, which affects productivity. A study said stress from a toxic boss causes companies 105 million lost workdays and $300 billion annually. If unhealthy behavior consistently occurs, it’s because the company allows it. Therefore, if we want to stop the toxicity, we need to be able to deal with it and prevent it from harming us. Let’s look at ways to do so.
Big ego
Ever work for a boss that is full of him/herself? Maybe they belittle your accomplishments and never give you praise. They give you a lot of tasks yet never say thank you. They feel they are the most intelligent, deserving person in the room, and everyone needs to know it. He/she may get angry over the slightest issue and make you feel like you committed a crime. You leave the conversation scratching your head and thinking, “really??” If your answer is yes, you work for a boss with a big ego. These bosses are frustrating to work for because no matter how hard you try to please them, they will never change, and according to them, you will never be good enough.
A recent study revealed 75% of workers surveyed said the most stressful aspect of their job is their boss. A big ego boss can be emotionally draining. At some point in your career, you need to think about staying or leaving. Professionally, a big ego boss does nothing for you except help you learn avoidance skills! You may try to pump their ego to get on their good side, but it doesn’t work for long. Know there is only one person in a working relationship, and it’s them.
Over delegator
This boss delegates all his/her work out to others. He/she demands others take full accountability for the farmed out work then assumes the credit if higher-ups positively accept it. Rarely do the employees get a thank you or, if they do, it comes under the disguise of good teamwork. The over delegator also claims to be the company’s busiest person yet seems only to attend meetings relaying the delegated work.
If you happen to be one of the targets that the over delegator distributes work to, begin the process of keeping track of all you do. Make sure you have this work become a part of the yearly evaluation process. If you are overwhelmed with the over delegator’s work, set a boundary. Tell him/her that you are maxed out and explain why. If they insist on you taking the assignment, tell them they need to decide on your work’s priority. This protects you in case other important work is not attended to. Get his/her answer in writing.
Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde
Ever have a day where things are going well, and all of a sudden, you get an angry email from your boss over a minor issue? You are belittled and melted down to feel like you committed a crime. You may have done something like ask a question seeking his/her insights. But, the boss reamed you out for asking because he/she felt you should know the answer. Even if you explain yourself, you are wrong.
To deal with this type of explosive, unpredictable boss, stay calm, remain professional, and create distance. Deal with them only when you have. Try to stick to email conversations, so you have documentation. If they choose to ream you out face to face or over the phone, set a boundary and tell them you are uncomfortable and wish to have an HR person present. Then end the conversation. You are an adult and have every right to be treated like one and be spoken to respectfully. There is no need to be hollered at; it is unprofessional and not productive. This boss needs to learn how to communicate professionally.
Chauvinist
You’re sitting in a meeting, waiting for it to begin, and every male that walks through the door, your boss says, “Hi, Buddy.” The meeting starts, and your well-researched ideas are disregarded, yet your male co-worker’s ideas are given considerable thought even though they have little research backing them up. You leave the meeting feeling less confident, defeated, and diminished.
Speaking up and sharing how you feel to the boss may work but often doesn’t. Chances are you will be told you are overly sensitive; your feelings may be discounted. If you speak up and it causes no change, then go to your human resource department. There are laws and company policies that protect you.
Toxic bosses cause employee stress. We have to protect our emotional and mental health and not let their toxicity control our lives. A Gallup poll said 75% of employees leave a job not due to work but due to the boss. If the boss isn’t planning on moving on, we need to decide to stay or leave. If you chose to stay, then don’t expect them to change. All you can do is change the way you deal with the boss. Make sure you stay safe, document, and use support from your human resource department.
