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Effective Management
~ How to Deal with a Difficult Boss:
Solutions to 7 Types of Bad Management Styles ~
 Work sucks when
you don’t know how to deal with a difficult boss. It’s often said, people
don’t quit a job, they quit a boss. Here to help you recognise and deal with
a difficult boss, are solutions to 7 different types of management style.
It takes
two to tango…
Maybe you’re the
boss, and have a difficult employee. Any chance they think you’re behaving
badly? You might be as nice as cherry pie, but if you’ve been cast as the
wicked witch, you’re going to clash and clash and clash some more until you
get a little mutual understanding going on.
It is possible
to be a great person and a bad boss. They key to a successful working
relationship, is to separate the behaviour from the person. Is the bad
behaviour temporary due to over-work or personal stress, or due to something
as simple as lack of management skills. Being sensitive to the underlying
reasons means your boss can save face and improve their behaviour
appropriately.
Here are 7 of
the usual bad management suspects…….
The
Bland Boss
 A bland boss is
as much use as a chocolate fireguard! They usually avoid risk or conflict at
all cost, are vague and flit between decisions.
First off, you need to notice which situations trigger their bland or weak
behaviour. If they regularly avoid conflict, they may need to be liked by
everyone, so take someone else into combat with you or maybe get their boss
to assume a greater leadership role.
If they are vague and provide little direction, it may be they’re lacking
management skills and don’t realise that’s their job. Often unskilled or
inexperienced managers are uncomfortable telling someone what to do. Train
your manager by being clear about the direction you need to do your job,
making sure they commit it to writing, so you both know what’s agreed.
The
Grunt
 The grunt has no
original thought, drive or ambition. In fact, two short planks of wood’d
make a better boss.
You’ve got a fantastic idea, which you’ve researched and know will work, and
take it to your grunt boss to agree how to implement it. Bad idea. At best
they’ll tell you why it won’t work, at worst they’ll just not have the brain
power to comprehend something new. The best way to manage a grunt is to let
them stick to what they know, and wait patiently for the next round of
down-sizing and wave them off the premises.
The
Control-Freak
 The controlling
manager barely lets you cough in a meeting let alone say something original
or creative. You’re being managed at such an itty bitty level of detail you
feel like a single cell specimen under a microscope. Anything that doesn’t
conform is changed or rejected. Eventually you suffer from learned
helplessness, the inability to think or function for yourself.
What's driving this behaviour? Usually it’s anxiety about failing or making
mistakes, and micro-managing tasks gives them a reassuring feeling that the
correct steps are being taken. Provide that reassurance by detailing the
steps you’ve taken, who’ve you’ve spoken to and how you’ve assessed and
addressed any risks.
The
Politician
 The political
manager is a self-interested self-promoter, and generates more spin than a
flywheel. You can trust them about as far as you can throw them.
Politicians are often easy to upwardly manage. Get their support by
emphasising how good they’ll look to their seniors, Avoid being a potential
scapegoat, by getting public written support for anything risky or
controversial. Politicians often play favourites, so enjoy it while it
lasts, and don’t take it personally when you’re dropped.
The
Absent Manager
 When your main
conversation with your boss is a hurried chat masquerading as an annual
appraisal, you could say you’ve got an absent manager. No manager may be
better than an absent manager.
The absent manager goes missing in action, traveling across the globe, or is
just plain busy. The secret is getting on their radar by getting in their
diary. Establish a routine for communication, and stick to it. Maximise face
time, by preparing thoroughly beforehand. Think and talk in headlines,
summing up what decisions they need to make, or direction they need to give
and get out. It might take more effort on your part, but your manager will
respect you for it.
The
Whip-Cracker
 The whip-cracker
knows when you’re goofing off. The whip-cracker knows when you’re just
thinking about goofing off. The whip-cracker doesn’t sleep, drink or pee. Or
have a life.
And they don’t expect you to have a life either. Or be human.
It’s useful to take a long term view with a whip-cracker. Is there some
major deadline looming that explains the behaviour? Or does lightening up
scare them to death? Decide how many extra miles you are prepared to go, and
how often, and live with it.
The
Spiteful Manager
 In its extreme
mutation, the spiteful manager is a bully. The bully’s raison d’etre is to
belittle people for pleasure. A bully is the nasty and ruthless wicked witch
(or wizard!)
Have a look around – is your manager singling you out or are there other
victims? If you’re the unlucky one, maybe your styles clash – you’re need
for detailed direction is perceived as clingy neediness – so consider
changing your approach. Or it may be that the manager just doesn’t get the
subtleties of interpersonal communication and has a miniscule emotional IQ.
Then at least you know it’s not personal!
Regardless of which type of management style your boss has, the best way to
change their behaviour is to talk to them. Giving effective feedback at
least makes them aware of their behaviour, its impact on you, and more
importantly how you would prefer them to behave. With time and luck, the
boss’s behaviour will improve, but if not, you’ve got two choices. Maybe
everything else in your work and life is good enough for you to grin and
bear it or do what many people do - quit your boss and move on. |
