Use Facts to Deal with an Unreasonable Boss

14 July 2006

2 minute read

Use Facts to Deal with an Unreasonable Boss

"Although there are many different kinds of bosses, bad boss behavior usually stems from the supervisor throwing his or her power around," says William Krug, head of the Department of Organizational Leadership and Supervision at Purdue Univesity's College of Technology. "Some even take a certain delight in being difficult."

Krug says the first step in dealing with a bad boss is to determine what kind of boss you have. He describes four types: controllers, who are demanding and insist that things be done their way; analyzers, who want much information but have trouble making decisions; promoters, who are enthusiastic, dislike detail and like to make quick decisions but often lack follow-up; and supporters, who are seen as "nice" but can be taken advantage of.

Using such descriptions can help you determine how to deal with an out-of-control supervisor, Krug says. For instance, employees should provide "analyzer" bosses with adequate facts about a situation. However, providing the same amount of detail to a "promoter" boss can make tensions worse.

While each type has both good and bad points, Krug recommends three general strategies to use when dealing with an difficult boss:

Make sure you are accurate

Always document. "Presenting facts is a great way to circumvent the emotional thought process that often goes on between boss and employee," says Krug. "Documentation has been made easier with e-mail because it gives you a clear trail of happened, when it happened and what action was taken."

Allow your boss to be the decision maker. "If you say, 'The only thing we can do is this,' that can make a boss angrier," Krug says. "But if you can offer a few options, that can help diffuse the situation."

AUTHORAnonymous

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2 comments

AN
ANGRYONE
19 July 2007
hOW SHOULD YOU DEAL WITH A BOSS THAT YOU GO INTO SEE BECAUSE OF A GRIEVANCE AND ALL HE DOES IS SHOUT AT YOU? IS THAT A WAY TO DEAL WITH HIS STAFF.
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KP
K Peterson
25 June 2007
Presenting facts only works with someone who has the ability to reason. The marketing department a client asked my boss for some information -he is economic advisor to her boss. He told me to give her the information. There was no way that I would have this information as only board members or someone in his position would know the details required. When I told him that I was having trouble answering her questions. He got nasty with me and told me that I should have contacted their marketing department for the information. The head of their marketing department is the person who asked him for the information in the first place!! That is just one example of how reasonable he is. In another situation, he claimed that he had, by email, given me certain instructions which he had not. He then screamed at me for not following instructions that I never received. I forwarded his email back to him and politely told him I don't deserve to be screamed at. Even with the proof in front of his own eyes, he refused to admit that he didn't say what claimed he'd said & told me that my attitude (asking him not to scream) is against company rules! The girl before me only lasted 10 days!!
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