Article written on "The Examiner" How to cope with a bad boss?

They say that hindsight is 20/20; that perhaps the clearest view of a situation or circumstance is when you are no longer in it.  I suppose, in many ways that is correct because when you are in a situation that is disconcerting or upsetting to you, your emotions have a tendency to amplify whatever the  particular negatives of what the experience may be.

Over the course of my lifetime, I’ve held my fair share of jobs and left the majority of them on my own my terms.  I’ve come to realize that every situation is different as is the associated personalities that accompany them.  I’ve experienced both good and bad bosses; and I am happy to say that the good experiences outweigh the bad by far.  However, with that being said, it is the bad experiences that we have a tendency to remember first when you make your trip back through your employment memory lane.  You may wonder what you could have done differently if you felt that you had no choice but to submit a letter of resignation.  And if indeed this is the case, the answer is nothing.  On the other hand, if you left because you absolutely hated the job itself, the company or your immediate supervisor, there are things that you may want to consider before you schedule yourself for your exit interview.

Recently, I left a job because of a bad boss.  It wasn’t the job, the company or the people I worked with.  It was my boss, plain and simple.  But looking back at the situation, I realize the mistakes I made and vow not to make them in my new position.  Here are some of the pitfalls that placed me in a bad light and could possibly help you if you find yourself in the unfortunate position of not being a valued employee in your supervisor’s eyes.

1.      Do the job expected of you.  It sounds simple enough, but it may be challenging if you’ve gone through a detailed training period and then find yourself thrust into a chaotic environment.  A training class scenario is theory.  The job itself is the actuality.  Sometimes theory and actuality are close, and sometimes they are as different as night and day.  A good boss will know this and will make attempts to guide you through the difficult period as much as they are humanly able.  A bad boss will expect you to get the work done and will not want to hear about issues that may prevent you from doing the job to the best of your ability.

To read the article in it's entirety, click on the link below:

http://www.examiner.com/article/how-to-cope-with-a-bad-boss

~ J.L. Whitehead