With a Horrible Boss, Your Attitude is Everything

The release of "Horrible Bosses 2" on November 26 is a reminder that horrible bosses are still pervasive in the workplace and that nothing workers can do or say will make their bad bosses change their lousy attitude or behavior. In the real work world, it is our attitude that counts the most when it comes to keeping our sanity and being successful at work.

If you hope that your horrible boss is going to suddenly change his attitude and start treating everyone fairly and appropriately, you’ll be constantly disappointed and frustrated. Instead, it’s your own attitude that needs to change. Only when you look at your boss and your circumstances differently can you get past all the negativity and on to advancing your career.

Here are attitude adjustment suggestions to help turn things around.

 --Drop the “poor me” attitude and step up to the plate. Be there for your co-workers, help and support all of them, including the boss’s “favorites.”

--Look for solutions rather than whining about problems.

--Believe in yourself, in your abilities, in your skills and talents no matter what your bad boss says. Have faith that you can do what the job requires.

--Take the initiative. When you see an opportunity to act or contribute, do so. Offer ideas and suggestions for how to do things better.

--Always do your work well. Apply yourself to the task at hand and get it done properly.

--Do a good job because it’s satisfying to you. You won’t get an acknowledgement of good work from you bad boss so it has to come from within.

Now use this new attitude to get what you want from your bad boss. One of a bad boss’s greatest fears is that people will find out that he’s terrible at what he does. Make him look competent. Your problem-solving attitude will bail him out of mess after mess. He’ll take all the credit for your good work, which is frustrating, but he’ll also lean on you more because you’ve become valuable to him. You can ask for—and get—resources, bonuses and the support your co-workers only dream of. Not only that, but you’ll be building on your experiences and successes for the time when your boss eventually leaves or there is an opportunity to move to a better position within the company or another job opens up elsewhere.

For tips on working with specific bad boss types, go to http://www.noellenelson.com, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/GotABadBoss or at https://twitter.com/GotABadBoss.

One In Seven Workers Give Their Boss a "D" or "F" Grade; Bad Communication Cited

According to a recent CareerBuilder survey, one in seven workers would give their boss a "D" or "F" grade when asked to evaluate their boss’ performance. The survey found that workers whose boss interacted with them frequently gave their boss higher grades. Without frequent communication, your boss might as well be a ghost boss

A ghost boss is a boss who barely acknowledges you at work to the point you wonder if he or she even knows your name. You fumble about trying to figure out what your boss expects from you  but he won’t give you any guidance on how to do your job or even what doing a good job would actually mean.

These types of bosses have no business being a boss. They’ve been promoted because they were probably great at doing something that didn’t require managing people. They now have to manage, but their secret desire is to be left alone to work on whatever pet project piques their interest at the moment. Their secret fear is that they’ll be cornered into having to actually interact with people, which they see as a complete waste of their time and talent.

            So how do you work with a ghost boss? It’s useless getting angry, aggravated or belligerent with your ghost boss. It’s equally useless trying to make-nice, attempting to schmooze or engage a ghost boss in some sort of reality-based management discussion. Instead, in a sense, you need to become your own boss.

            Here are steps to become self-sufficient and successful at work despite a ghost boss.

            --Write out how you would describe, in specifics and detail, each of your duties and tasks.

            --Create measurable markers of success for each task, at each stage of its completion or development.

            --Review each point with your ghost boss. Given such clear criteria, he or she may actually weigh in with helpful suggestions. If not, don’t worry, you’ve just cleared your “to-do” list with your ghost boss.

            --Do your almighty best to accomplish what is on your list. Build in whatever you need to help you stay motivated because you will not get praise for your good work from your ghost boss.

            --At the end of each week, show your boss on paper (backed up with an emailed report), the results of your week’s work. As much as a ghost boss may shy away from the face-to-face, face-time is important to reinforce successes.

One of several things will happen if you consistently follow through with all the above. First, you’ll be one of the few in your department or company who can actually get what you need and want from your ghost boss. Second, you may quite inadvertently help your ghost boss learn how to manage. Third, and best of all, someone up the food chain may take notice and you will finally get the chance to move up in the ranks despite your ghost boss.

For tips on working with specific bad boss types, go to http://www.noellenelson.com, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/GotABadBoss or at https://twitter.com/GotABadBoss,

Trade Your “Bad Boss-Poor Me” Pity Party in for a “Can-Do” Positive Attitude!

Your Bad Boss is a double-triple-bummer, and you loathe every waking moment you are forced to spend in his or her presence.

However, whining and moaning about it aren’t going to get you out of your unfortunate situation.

Take a tip from John Baldoni, executive coach, leadership educator and author, as he writes in CBS’s Moneywatch:

“When faced with adversity, acknowledge the challenge. Skip the "pity party" act and focus on what you are doing to resolve the situation. . .

“CEOs that suck it up are leaders who people want to follow. Leaders who wallow in their misery are the ones people are best avoiding.”

You need to shine in your Boss’s Boss’s eyes, or in some other department’s higher-up esteem to get out from under your Bad Boss. At the very least you need co-workers who will help and support you in your goals.

Dump the “poor me” refrain, and attract the kind of attention you need with a “can-do” positive attitude.