6 Bad Bosses and How to Deal with Them

By Dipti Nair

Qatar has a multi-cultural work environment and if you have worked here long enough, then you must surely have come across terrible managers who demotivate you and make you hate going to work every morning. These ineffective managers can dampen workplace morale and make the daily grind less enjoyable. Do you have a bad boss? Here are some tips on how to deal with them.

The Micromanager

This type of manager has trouble trusting their staff to complete the assigned work and feels the need to excessively control and monitor every aspect of your work. They may nitpick everything you do and be unwilling to change things. This can make the employees feel distrusted, disrespected and dissatisfied, affecting their productivity and even mental wellbeing.

How to handle a Micromanager boss

Discretely communicate with them on how their behavior affects you, many managers are unaware of it. Regularly update them about the work progress, keeping them in the loop of any irregularities, gradually building trust.

The Ill-Mannered

It can be a challenge to have a decent work atmosphere if your boss is rude and ill-mannered. He can be disrespectful, making shameful remarks or critiquing employees. An ill-mannered boss may not be open to feedback and may have passive-aggressive behavior towards staff. Rude bosses can be difficult to work with, especially if they regularly bully and belittle you.

How to handle an Ill-Mannered boss

Sometimes it is better to deflect the harshness with humor and to push the focus on the content of the words rather than the tone. But if the rude behavior is continuous and permanent, then it would be better to stand up to them and have a one-on-one discussion.

The Tyrant

A tyrant manager is a dictator who does not listen to anyone’s opinions or ideas. They are always right and have the final authority over everything. This type of manager regularly imposes decisions without considering input from the team. An inconsistent and unreliable boss can affect your work and get you frustrated and lower your confidence in your knowledge and abilities.

How to handle a tyrant boss

Before you present an idea to your boss, be fully prepared with all supporting data and information that supports your perspective and rationale. Set personal challenges and goals to motivate yourself.

The Credit Snatcher

This is something that quite often happens in offices here, where you may pitch an idea, which is rejected by the boss, but he then presents the same idea to his superiors taking all the credit for it. Many bosses think that as they are responsible for all the mistakes their team makes, they should get credit for the good work as well. This behavior not only demotivates you but also restricts your growth opportunities.

How to handle a boss that takes your credit for your work

Understand that it may have been an honest mistake, or misunderstanding. If the behavior keeps repeating, make sure to share ideas on new projects with other employees. Have a heart-to-heart conversation with your boss and discuss matters, beginning and ending with a positive note.

The Workaholic

Is your boss emailing you at midnight and expecting an immediate response? Workaholic bosses work round-the-clock and expect their employees to do the same. Reporting to such a boss can be taxing on both your career and your personal life. Having no work-life balance can make you physically ill and push you towards burnout.

How to handle a workaholic boss

Try having clear communications and suggest strategic approaches to improve and optimize systems so as to change the work pattern and reduce the stress of working extra hours. Set clear boundaries on your time but be willing to push back if required.

The Indecisive

Some managers just cannot make up their minds about anything. One minute they will tell you to do one thing, and once you are halfway through the project, they will ask you to do something else. This kind of indecisiveness and disfunction reduces productivity and you can never feel committed to your work.

How to handle a boss who is always changing his mind

Your boss may be under a lot of pressure and not able to make proper decisions, you need to be patient and understanding. Offer your help and support to make some of the decisions for them.

Time to move on

Working for such bosses can be difficult and frustrating and can affect your confidence and well-being. If you find yourself working for a manager with these quality traits, and you reach a point where enough is enough, then it is time to start planning your exit strategy. Start updating your resume and look for new job opportunities. Qatar Living Jobs can help you with building your professional CV and you can also help you look for better and more suitable opportunities at Qatar Living Jobs.

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