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What makes a boss so difficult?
Home » Human Resources » Dealing with Difficult People: Your Boss » What makes a boss so difficult?Any Dilbert fan will recognize the Pointy-Haired Boss from the comic strip as one extreme example of a bad boss. Scott Adams, Dilbert’s creator, states on his Web site that the Pointy-Haired Boss (PHB) is every employee’s worst nightmare. Adams says the PHB has no concern for the professional or personal well-being of his employees, that he only wants to look good in front of his subordinates and superiors and keep close tabs on the bottom line. Does this sound like anyone you know?
Dealing with a difficult co-worker is one thing. Just about everyone’s experienced the bully, the slacker, the pest, or some other co-worker who makes life at work absolutely miserable, or at least quite uncomfortable. But when that person is your boss, it takes the stress to a whole new level. This person is in charge of your job, your career, and in some ways, your future. So that means you have to tread delicately when addressing the misery or she puts you through.
Put down in front of others, micromanaging projects, questioning your ability to do your work, blowing up at real or perceived mistakes, putting too much on your plate, or just making you walk on eggshells every day in hopes of getting your job and everything that goes with it right puts tremendous pressure on you. But chances are, you can’t change your boss. You can just change how you respond to him or her, and whether you stay at the job or find some place that suits you better. Let’s explore the different types of difficult bosses, then see if any suggestions will help. If not, it might be time to search the want ads for a new job.
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