If you are able to get some good tips for dealing with a toxic boss, then you might be able to really have a better work experience. Having a toxic boss can be draining most times. You don’t know what you might have done wrong or right, sometimes it can be tiring and you feel like giving up, it can even go as far as you not doing your job well because of tension or too many complaints on his or her part. This can be frustrating and one can’t help but imagine what to do to make your boss feel happy or appreciate your efforts.
On the other hand, having a good boss can make you look forward to going to work the next day and more. You feel relieved and happy, a good boss leads by example. In this article, I will be showing you 6 tips for dealing with a toxic boss that will be of great help to you but before then let’s check out the signs of a toxic boss.
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What are the signs that you are working with a toxic boss?
1. A toxic boss doesn’t appreciate your efforts.
One sign to know that you are dealing with a toxic boss is when all your good efforts are never valued, especially if you are the type that finishes your work before the given deadline and your colleagues are always marveling at how you do it but your boss always acts as if he didn’t notice it. Just know that you are dealing with a toxic boss here. A toxic boss might go as far as belittling your work or even take pride in taking credit for your ideas. They get jealous anytime you are being appreciated by others.
2. A toxic boss doesn’t expect you to make any mistakes
Though when you make mistakes every time there should be an excuse for that in a situation where you are scared of making mistakes at all because of the kind of boss you have. This kind is no other than a toxic boss that you are dealing with here. when you fail in any task or make a little mistake you are termed incompetent. A toxic boss doesn’t see any good in you
3. A toxic boss will turn down your great ideas.
Every boss always comes up with how they need new ideas. But to know when you are dealing with a toxic boss is when you bring a great idea for your team or personal idea that will wow your colleagues and everybody around you, and your boss turns that down always. Your opinion does not matter to them, they rather continue with old ideas than accept yours even when they know that your idea will bring improvement to the company.
4. A toxic boss blames you for his failure
One sign to know a toxic boss is that they don’t admit their fault, they rather blame you for their shortcomings, these kind of bosses can never accept their mistakes, they always look for who to blame. A good manager or boss accepts their faults and tries to make amends no matter how bad the situation may be but a toxic boss is the direct opposite of this.
5. A toxic boss is rude to their subject
When you have a boss that always frowns, a boss that will say harsh words that makes you feel bad and kills your morale. This is a sign that you are dealing with a toxic boss. A toxic boss always makes a disrespectful statement about you, or even goes as far as sending a disrespectful message to your mail all in the name of feedback for your job done. They will make you feel less of a human or devalue you in front of your colleagues instead they will kindly correct you in private.
6. A toxic boss plays favorite
As a boss, the first rule to follow is to lead your subordinate as a team without having favorites but a toxic boss may want to choose a particular person to shower praises on any time he or she does something the boss likes even if it is not only the person that did the job, meanwhile when you do a better job the same boss acts as if he didn’t notice it. That is surely a sign of a toxic boss.
Now that you know some signs of a toxic boss, let’s now look at some tips for dealing with a toxic boss. As there is no problem without a solution. Here are some tips
6 Tips for Dealing with a Toxic Boss
1. Avoid gossip
You know a toxic boss can do anything to get at you especially if you are the least of his or her favorites. So, one way of dealing with a toxic boss is to avoid gossip by all means, either with colleagues or any other person in your workplace. Don’t gossip about your colleagues not your boss itself to any person because it is said that you should trust nobody so you don’t know who might be spoiling your name behind.
Even if your colleagues share the same point of view with you concerning the attitude of your boss, it will be of great maturity on your side to only offer a listening ear but try as much as you can to keep mute or only offer a positive solution. Even if you feel like saying something about your boss’ toxic behavior let it be outside the company or to a stranger.
2. Make sure you are not a target, try to do your work well
If you have a toxic boss, the least you should do is to try not to be his target, one tip you can use to deal with a toxic boss is to do a good job so that he won’t have any reason to lay excuses or vent his anger on you. Try not to be his victim in any way. If you think this means that you will keep your head low and as well avoiding trouble, then so be it.
The fact that your boss is toxic doesn’t mean that when you have great ideas that will help the company do better you will not let it out, try to help your boss attain a greater height, this might make you limited to be his target and even your colleagues will notice how professional you are.
3. Don’t be drawn into it
Toxic people are fond of putting you in their mess, try to avoid this by all means. Distance yourself from them, do the right thing, and don’t try to please anyone. Be honest in all you do, try to be polite even if it is hard, and be clear with your points.
A beautiful way for dealing with a toxic boss is by keeping a distance from them so that their negative vibe or actions will not affect your work at the office. Let your job be precisely professional, this will make them not manipulate you in any way.
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4. Let your records be detailed
Making your record detailed is a sure way to deal with a toxic boss, keep all records and information accurate so that when you are called at any point in time you can deliver without mistakes, this will silence a toxic boss.
When you know the kind of boss you are working with, you don’t need anyone to tell you to always be accurate in all you do, be sure to verify your documents and avoid mistakes whatsoever that will make your boss talk you down.
5. Try to ask questions
If you are dealing with a toxic boss, don’t assume things, you can clarify yourself by asking questions about things or areas you don’t understand. If you feel that your boss will shout at you when you ask the right questions, you should also know that it will be worse if you don’t ask questions and work with assumptions and in the end, you make mistakes.
When you communicate with your boss the right way, (by not asking unnecessary questions) it will help you do a better job and benefit your working intelligence. But please don’t use the opportunity of asking questions to lose guard yourself and get attached to your boss so that you won’t regret it afterward.
6. Decide between either staying or leaving
At this stage, you must have done everything listed above and you think it’s not working, the more you try the harder it becomes, deciding if you should stay or leave is now in your hands to make. Dealing with a toxic boss sometimes is not what you should joke with, it can lead to emotional trauma.
Instead of dying silently or bearing pains in your heart, you should take a walk but at the same time if you feel it is something you can manage you can as well choose to stay. It all depends on you.
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This is to a toxic boss
If you are a toxic boss and you are reading this right now please know that it will take nothing to be a good person, it pays a lot to be good as there is no achievement in being toxic, have you ever thought about being in your worker’s shoes and imagine what they go through working under tension? When you treat people right, you get the best of them, they can go miles for your sake just to make you happy.
Bringing or talking people down in any little mistake or opportunity does not make them do well, rather it kills their morale, makes them feel emotionally down, and can even lead them to depression. Don’t be the reason your fellow human is depressed, make them feel important, correct their mistakes with love, and see them achieve greater height with teamwork. Remember leaders lead by example.
Conclusion
This article has clearly shown us tips to know a toxic boss and how to deal with a toxic boss, the truth remains that a toxic boss can not bring out the best in workers as you don’t know what pleases or displeases him or her. This can be emotionally draining but in all, if you have tried all you could and it seems not to be working, for the sake of your sanity you can work away and look for a better job elsewhere. The choice is yours to make.
