Jobs @ Career Consulting Limited

Return to career-consulting-limited.com
Managing
People
Managing Your Career
CV Examples
Coaching
Cover Letter Examples
Pre-Employment Tests


Career Strategy When Your Boss is a Bully


Q. Right after I accepted my new position, the manager who hired me quit. I now have a boss "Sam" who's a classic bully. He has most of the office terrorized. Every question becomes a confrontation. Last week, he walked into the conference room as I was meeting with a customer and began berating me about a missing fax. Our Regional VP has asked us to be understanding because Sam has family and health problems. I've only been here two months. Should I begin looking for a new job?

A. When you're a midlife, midcareer manager, you face different challenges than an entry level employee. Changing jobs can be one of your options -- after you've taken some steps.

(1) Document your boss's behavior, with action time and date. Personal comments ("he's a jerk," are irrelevant. Instead, "Sam entered Conference Room A at 11:04 AM while I was meeting with Mary, VP of Eastern Widgets. Mary left five minutes later, so I could not complete my presentation to this Major Account." Write what Sam said and describe his gestures objectively. "He pointed a finger at me," not, "He waved his arms wildly." Keep your notes at home.

(2) Document your efforts to establish a good relationship with your new boss. Be ready to demonstrate that you're building bridges.

(3) Stay tuned to the office grapevine but avoid getting bogged down in long gripe sessions. Use the time to enhance your skills and test the job market.

(4) Take care of your own needs. Coaches can help you develop creative coping strategies and provide a confidential sounding board. If you're seriously depressed or anxious, find the appropriate professional resource.

(5) Begin exploring the job market, even if you're new. Many employers will understand if you explain, "The manager who fought to get me hired has left the company and my new boss wants to put own team together." Be brief and professional.

(6) Call the manager who hired you. She may not be willing to serve as a reference, but she can back up your story of a change in management.

(7) Listen for hidden agendas. Some managers are untouchable, no matter how outrageously they behave, because of some past history with the company. Maybe they brought in a big account during an economic downturn. Maybe they saved the president's career a long time ago. You may never learn the reason.

(8) Assess your corporate culture before making a formal complaint. Once you've reached management level, you have to tread carefully when appealing to HR, senior managers or even legal action. You're expected to be able to handle all kinds of tough situations. Some companies even evaluate managers on how they deal with a bad boss.

(9) Prepare a "last resort" strategy. If your boss has crossed the line from bad to bully, you can't find a new job, and your stress level soars, take your documentation to the appropriate resource. Start with your boss's boss, then human resources. Make your case professionally, in terms of the company's needs. "I've lost two sales reps who named Sam in their exit interview. I've had to spend an extra nine thousand dollars to hire replacements and they're still on their learning curve."

(10) Reclaim your own power. Seize the opportunity to use your company's resources as a vehicle to reach your own career goals. A coach or consultant can help you identify specific steps you can take. Recognize that your time here will be limited and begin to invest time, energy and sometimes money in your own healthy long-term future.

I offer one-to-one consultations on career strategy.

About The Author

Cathy Goodwin, Ph.D., is an author, speaker and career/business consultant, helping midlife professionals take their First step to a Second Career. http://www.cathygoodwin.com.

"Ten secrets of mastering a major life change" mailto:subscribe@cathygoodwin.com

Contact: cathy@cathygoodwin.com 505-534-4294


MORE RESOURCES:
Careers  Oaktree Capital



Careers | Career Opportunities  West Virginia University

Corporate  Lowe's





Jobs  City of Rochester (.gov)


Careers at TWU  Texas Woman's University



Careers at Willamette  my.willamette.edu




City of Tampa Careers  City of Tampa

Careers at VA  VA.gov Home | Veterans Affairs

Job Seekers  University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign


Careers  BASF


MPP Employment Data  USC Sol Price School of Public Policy

Nursing jobs  VA.gov Home | Veterans Affairs


Jobs at BCA  Minnesota Department of Public Safety



Careers  West Virginia Department of Education

Careers  Washington State University

Employment Services  American Mathematical Society





Working for ICE  U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Newsroom

Work at DHS: Career Opportunities  Wisconsin Department of Health Services

Employment Statistics  Columbia SIPA


UF Health Careers  UF Health - University of Florida Health


Employment benefits  VA.gov Home | Veterans Affairs



Careers at Prairie View A&M University  Prairie View A&M University

Job Search Results  UnitedHealth Group

UN COMMON CAREERS  VCU Health

Work With Us  National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

Career Opportunities  Gilead Sciences


Careers  S&P Global


Careers  Medline





Job Opportunities  Bellevue School District

How to Apply  FEMA

Job Opportunities  Southwest Minnesota State University



Careers  Micron


Careers at Discovery Education  Discovery Education





Join our team  FHI 360

Careers  KPMG


Early Career  GlobalFoundries

Certified Direct Care Professional (CDCP)  Wisconsin Department of Health Services

Careers  The Guggenheim Museums and Foundation

Internship Opportunities | Careers  Boston Consulting Group




Careers in  A&O Shearman

Careers  UNICEF USA

Students and graduates  JPMorgan Chase

Work At Chess.com  Chess.com


Highest-Paying Engineering Careers in 2024  University of North Dakota







Mental health at work  World Health Organization







Need More Information?
Site Home | Site Map | Links | Contact Us | Privacy Policy
© Career Consulting Limited.com 2011

tumblr visit counter