How to Deal with a Crazy Boss
Q: A senior manager asks: “I interviewed with Dr. Jekyll and now find myself reporting to Mr. Hyde. How can I deal with working for a crazy boss?”
A: Those of us who have experienced working for a nutcase boss can identify with this issue all too well. It’s the boss who micro-manages, makes unrealistic demands, calls you at all hours, especially on holidays, and no matter what you do, finds fault with your work. Mr. (or Mrs.) Hyde plays games including, “I never said that,” “Gotcha,” and “Guess today’s priority.”
One minute the crazy boss has it in for you. The next minute he acts like your best pal. The crazy boss is moody and unpredictable and on any given day, you’re just never sure which end is up. Your head is spinning, your heart is racing, and your stomach is churning. But finding a new job isn’t so easy and because your family is counting on you, you need your paycheck. So, you stick it out, hoping things will somehow get better. Unfortunately, chances are that unless your crazy boss is suddenly hit by a bread truck, they won’t. This means the time has come for you to outwit, outlast, and outplay your crazy boss. Read on to find out how.
1. Effective immediately, keep things strictly professional between you and the crazy boss.
Don’t divulge any information related to your family, friends, or your personal life. The less the crazy boss knows about you, the better.
2. Make alliances with your fellow co-workers.
It is very likely that your colleagues are receiving the same type of “treatment” as are you. Don’t go it alone. Stick together and do your best to support and “have the backs” of your trusted co-workers. The crazy boss is always very good at pitting his employees against one another.
3. Realize the crazy boss will never change. That means you need to make a change.
You can choose to do nothing and continue subjecting yourself to further psychological abuse or you can make a firm decision to extract yourself from the crazy boss situation. Making this decision is an important first step and it’s not an easy one.
4. Wait it out on the surface while developing your escape plan beneath the water.
Continue on in your current role as normal and don’t drastically change your behavior while at work. On your own time, research and reach out to recruiters in your industry and make a list of professional colleagues whom you know you can trust. Let these folks know you are in the market for a new job.
5. Focus 100% on your future and 0% on your past.
As you begin networking to find a new job, it is very important to keep the conversation positive. Do not badmouth your current employer. Tell your trusted contacts that you’ve decided to make a change and you are actively looking for a new role. Resist the temptation to discuss your current “situation,” as absolutely no good will come from doing this and the truth is, your current job will soon be roadkill in your rearview mirror. Repeat, do not under any circumstances badmouth your current employer.
6. Be hasty, but not too hasty.
Yes, the current situation with your crazy boss is extremely challenging. It would be much easier to quit and then you’d have plenty of time to find your next, better job, right? Not so fast. Unless your mental health is seriously at risk, do everything in your power to stick things out and remain employed until you can find a new job. If you think things are bad now for you while working for the crazy boss, try looking for your next job in your new capacity as the dreaded “unemployed person.”
7. Don’t jump onto the next train that rolls into your station.
You made up your mind not to quit, but time is marching on and prospects for a new job have been few and far between. Then, along comes a new opportunity that will enable you to escape from your crazy boss. But there are some things about the new job that just don’t feel quite right. Trust your gut. If the money is wrong, the required job responsibilities are not a good fit, or you don’t feel certain about your future boss, throw this fish right back into the water and keep looking. Better to prolong your misery just a little while longer than jumping from the frying pan into the towering inferno.
8. Your great new job will be in the last place that you look.
The good news is there is not one documented case of a person who never found a new job, except for the one who gave up and stopped looking. And that person is not going to be you. In the short term, turning over the rocks and kissing the toads will be hard. Many people won’t respond to your calls and emails. Your job applications will go into the circular file. But when the going gets tough, the tough get going. Each day, drink a tall glass of buck-up juice and remind yourself that action x perseverance = results.
And soon, you’ll be walking out that door.
Lynn Hoban works with mid-size companies to scale business operations and ignite marketing programs for growth. Lynn has a proven track record in consumer marketing. Her programs are effective because they are built on a depth of experience in human being management as well as in operations, R&D, staffing, training, and procurement. Lynn is known for her direct leadership style, which cuts through chaos and gets results. To ask a question or to find out more, visit www.LynnHobanMarketing.com.