Neither friend nor foe, dealing with your boss can often be tricky. Although not all bosses are created equal, hating (on) your boss is almost like a ritual. Who would ever like a person who — literally — bosses them around? The problem is then compounded when your boss might be a difficult person to please or a bit too authoritarian.
However, the fact remains: they are generally a treasure trove of information and experience. And they provide the perfect opportunity to learn important life lessons like how to:
Be professional in all your interactions.
Maintaining boundaries can be important in workplace relationships, and sometimes striking a balance between cold and overfriendly can be tricky. If you have established the proper boundaries, chances of conflict will be greatly reduced.
Be clear in all your communication.
This is another skill that some people find hard to master. Whether online or in person, being articulate in all correspondence with your boss or coworkers to avoid any confusion or miscommunication will help you enjoy healthier relationships with everyone around you.
Deal with difficult situations.
Yes, life is not a bed of roses, either inside or outside the workplace. So being able to deal with sticky situations is a skill worth having, especially if you don’t agree with something or someone but still have to bear it/them.
Be diplomatic.
It is my personal belief that diplomacy is very important in an office. It should be noted, however, that this does not mean lying or that I condone being untruthful in any interaction. Diplomacy in the workplace refers to communication without making things personal, and by extension, not indulging in office politics or gossip.
Avoid making assumptions.
We’ve all heard of ‘think before you leap’ and it is very applicable in the workplace. Reading the situation is important. Whether you just want to get your point across clearly, deal with coworkers you don’t like, or have an ‘unreasonable’ client etc., just taking a few moments to think before you ‘respond’ will make sure that you don’t face any issues.
Always do your best.
Do you remember having a strict teacher? Do you remember following their orders as best as possible to avoid conflict? The same holds true in the workplace. With a difficult boss added to the equation, your work should be impeccable for it to speak for itself.
Have you had a boss or manager that you didn’t particularly didn’t like but in retrospect you can see they taught you a lot? Share your story in the comments!
Work It is an online platform where new and young professionals can get guidance & advice about the workplace. Feel free to pose your question here.
