Tips for Dealing With bad bosses

Protect yourself first
by building relationships with peers, clients, vendors, co-workers, building neighbors, ex-employees and managers who are friendly to your cause. These relationships can be an important source of support at work (and for getting the next job, if it comes to that) —and it’s
always helpful when a co-worker, client, vendor or other person witnesses your boss’s bad behavior. ask former employees to be witnesses to the bad boss’s character before your employment. They can back you up in any potential administrative hearings or legal proceedings you could be facing with a bad boss.

Get it in writing
when your boss makes promises—or threats. If there is an incident
between you and your boss, write down your version with the date and
time. Mail a copy to yourself in a sealed, postmarked envelope. DON’T OPEN IT SILLY! That letter is for the judge to open in court!

Record it. Many states allow secret recordings of conversations just as long a one of the people being recorded knows about the activity. Check your state to see if this is legal and if it is RECORD EVERYTHING. as a bonus, not only would a court find the information interesting, but the press could as well.

Talk to your boss
about your concerns. Don’t just sit there and take it like a doormat! Sometimes bosses don’t know when they are making
bad decisions or treating employees unfairly. Many times they do and they just don’t care. Plan ahead what you want
to tell your boss. Practice keeping cool and speaking calmly. always be in complete control and on the offensive. Unfortunately, you’ll also have to be prepared for the consequences. bad bosses usually take great joy in hammering the nail back into the wood. You’re the nail. Wear a hard-hat. 

Identify the problem
with your boss. Is it a short fuse? are there personal issues? Is it his/her fault or yours? a problem with giving clear
directions? Small-man syndrome? Substance abuse? Severe anti-social behavioral issues? Once you know exactly what your boss does that creates a hostile work environment, it may become easier to work around the issue. You can try alternative strategies to deal with your boss’s flaws as long as you know you are most likely to fail miserably. For
example, if your boss gives vague directions, you might try repeating
them back to him or her to make sure you understand them and to make sure they feel like a moron since you have to treat them like a 4-year-old. In another instance, if your boss is always setting up meetings with clients, staff, vendors and lawyers and missing them, do the same to the boss and see how he/she feels about being stood up all the time. If your boss sleeps in his/her office after a late night bender…well, that’s just sad. In some instances, no matter how you try, the issues may be insurmountable and you will need to make the hard decision to move on in your career. While there will be temporary stress associated with this, you’ll be much happier, healthier and better off in the not-to-distant future.

Take back your life
by establishing boundaries between work and home. Clearly define your
time for work, family and friends. Remember that your boss pays you for
eight hours a day—not 24! If you are off the clock and out of the building, DO NOT aNSWER PHONE CaLLS OR EMaIL IF THEY aRE WORK RELaTED. You are best to not allow work-related emails to be delivered to you when you are out of the building. You need to recharge your batteries and have a personal life so you can be effective and efficient when you are "on the clock." If your boss wants you on-call 24 hours a day, then your salary needs to reflect that. a simple multiple of 3.5 should suffice.

Manage your stress off the clock. Get some religion! Eat healthy foods and exercise regularly to reduce stress and burn energy. I find that laughter helps a lot also.

ask for outside help. If you think your rights are being violated, read the “Know Your Rights” fact sheet.
Contact advocacy groups in your community and look for legal clinics
and other kinds of help. Finally, if your boss ever becomes physically or verbally abusive, or approaches staff members in an inappropriate manner contact the police right away. Don’t be afraid to speak up and get help.

Organize a group
at your workplace. Power in numbers helps when it comes to having a legal say on the issues that
matter most to you, including wages, benefits and work environment.
While I don’t personally recommend or believe in unions, one can’t argue the facts: union members, on average, make 28 percent more than workers without a
union and are much more likely to have employer-provided health care
and pensions. Many unions also have a dignity and respect clause in their contracts. People don’t screw with unions because they are a huge pain in the ass.  Click this link for more information on how to form a union at your workplace.

Plan your exit strategy
if the situation is unbearable and all else fails. Network with
colleagues, ex-employees, ask clients for leads, hit up vendors, update your résumé and watch for new job opportunities. Hell…you might even consider going into business for yourself!