View Full Version : Life Hack for a Mean Boss
I have a mean boss. What I hate most are the little "scolding" emails and comments whenever there is something that isn't done perfectly. Don't think I don't keep track of every one, because it is possible it could get to the point of abuse, but so far it's not quite at the level that it would be worth it for me to go that route.
SOOO...I've come up with a life hack for the little scoldings this person dishes out. When I get to 3 (starting just from Sept. 1st of this year), I get a treat for myself. Not sure what the treat will be, but it will be something I really like doing.
Do ya'll have any life hacks for mean bosses? Just FYI, I am a professional of 20+ years experience, two advanced degrees, career awards from international organizations, significant accomplishments, and many accolades from colleagues and clients, so it's not like I'm a screw-up on the job. NOT that even "screw-ups" deserve to be scolded and belittled!
I always think that my mean boss has to eventually deal with herself or her family or someone who is going to slap her one day. : )
I kept a Wicked Witch of the West on my desk in honor of her. She never understood what it was for but loved to play the song. HA!!
OP - great attitude!
Forward all the abusive emails to your home computer. Copy to DropBox and/or flash drive.
If boss ever accuses you of anything, you have years of proof to show boss's boss.
hmm, I like the idea. You are accepting that you can't change the behavior of your boss. You know that it isn't about you. But it still really causes stress.
Here are a couple of my ideas, maybe they will inspire you
* creative splurge, take $10 and go to goodwill or a craft store and buy whatever inspires you
* a massage, or pedicure
* coffee shop visit. I just love the introvert companionship of having tea around other humans
I suffered for years under a mean boss, I didn't deal with it well at the time. I now work for myself at home, so maybe he did me a favour. But it can be so demoralising. Human nature sometimes disgusts me, good attitude Rachel. Wish I had thought of that life hack, instead I just got depressed, left the job I was good at. It took me years to get over it.
I have a challenging boss....not exactly mean, but perfectionist about everything but his own habits and shortcomings.
So, today, I think I will treat myself to a short day---bugging off for the afternoon.
The thing is, unless you know that the time you spend reporting to this person is very limited (Dilbert's "bungee boss" (http://dilbert.com/strips/comic/1994-09-07/)), eventually his/her poisoned view of The Way Things Are is going to bite you in the butt come review time or promotion time. Seems like a big price to pay to me.
I don't have any good suggestions for Rachel right now. Hers is a great strategy for the short term. But unless this boss is known far and wide within the organization for being a tool, (s)he has a fair capacity to do damage.
awakenedsoul
9-24-14, 3:52pm
I had some very difficult managers when I worked as a yoga teacher at the gyms. I documented everything, and wrote a letter to the owner. In three of the cases, the managers were fired.
Hope your situation gets better. It's so unhealthy to work for a toxic boss!
I worked for a VERY mean boss for 10 years. He would try to be mean to the employees and I cut him off. (I later realized I was his moral compass). When I was manager and in charge of accounting, he always made between $150K and $250K.
11 years ago, I opened my biz and left meanie. Plus I always had a few other sources of income, like book royalties. I will retire in the next couple of months.
The gal who took over the bookkeeping part of my management job for said mean boss and I have become friends. I have always had permission to have info about the company and help her. She tells me the firm is OK financially but boss is deep in debt. He is 62.
What goes around comes around.
I have a challenging boss....not exactly mean, but perfectionist about everything but his own habits and shortcomings.
BAWHAHAHAHAH!!!!! That is SO FUNNY! And SO spot-on!!!! Sorry you had to deal with that, thanks for the laugh.
My org. has a long history of tolerating, possibly tacitly encouraging abusive bosses. This one is actually an improvement over the last one, who was beyond dreadful. Everyone knew it.
The thing is, unless you know that the time you spend reporting to this person is very limited (Dilbert's "bungee boss" (http://dilbert.com/strips/comic/1994-09-07/)), eventually his/her poisoned view of The Way Things Are is going to bite you in the butt come review time or promotion time.
My butt is almost no longer in existence from all the bites that have been taken out of it.
Wow, awakenedsoul, that's amazing that you were able to accomplish that.
Good for you.
I always think that my mean boss has to eventually deal with herself or her family or someone who is going to slap her one day. : )
I kept a Wicked Witch of the West on my desk in honor of her. She never understood what it was for but loved to play the song. HA!!
Love that!
hmm, I like the idea. You are accepting that you can't change the behavior of your boss. You know that it isn't about you. But it still really causes stress.
Here are a couple of my ideas, maybe they will inspire you
* creative splurge, take $10 and go to goodwill or a craft store and buy whatever inspires you
* a massage, or pedicure
* coffee shop visit. I just love the introvert companionship of having tea around other humans
Thanks, Zoe, good ideas!
That's very interesting, profnot. And thanks for the tip about documentation. I have been doing that for a long time...with this particular pet monster it's never "out there" enough that it would look like abuse. It's more death by a thousand tiny cuts, if you know what I mean. I probably shouldn't be so sensitive, and I'm working on that.
awakenedsoul
9-25-14, 3:31pm
I don't think your being too sensitive. I would start looking for another job, if it's a toxic environment. There's so much of that these days...
I might suggest reading this book: The Angry Smile: The Psychology of Passive Aggressive Behavior in Families, Schools, and Workplaces, 2nd ed. by Signe Whitson. I had through interlibrary loan. The text is highly readable and applies to all life situations. It's not too deep on how to work with this in another person, but it helps you recognize the behavior in yourself and others. It can defuse the situation as you gain some understanding. Might your boss fit into this category? Or, just be a micromanaging controller.
Thank you, I will figure out a way to get hold of this and read it, it sounds very useful.
If you google Worst Boss in the World, there's actually some contests out there. People have won prizes, anonymously of course, for their entries.
I can't tell if these are still current contests, but there could be a silver lining out of this if you win a free trip!
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