Experts share tips on how to navigate work with a difficult boss

If yoursquore on social media the past few weeks would have rolled out thousands of jokes and memes on tech magnate Elon Musk who recently acquired networking platform Twitter Since the acquisition Musk has fired more than half of the companyrsquos 7500 employees mdash some of the firings were announced on the platform itself has scrapped workfromhome modules instated long working hours and signed off his email about lsquohardcore Twitter 20rsquo adding that workers can either follow the mandate or get firedElon MuskHowever the billionairersquos conduct is not a lone precedent Toxic employeremployee relations are quite common in the corporate sector but resigning en masse is not an option Citybased career experts and a psychologist show us the way to deal with an unreasonable boss Make it workIn her experience as a victory coach Farzana Suri often meets clients who are struggling with relationship problems with their managers Over a year nearly 40 per cent of her client pool approaches her with issues related to workplace hierarchy ldquoTheir problems intensify a few months before appraisals This is the period when corporate employees become defensive and start questioning their abilitiesrdquo notes Suri Admitting that an egoistic senior at work can disrupt onersquos worklife balance Suri says that resigning or risking dismissal is not advisable There are practical ways of dealing with such issues and talking ill about onersquos boss to their peers is certainly not a solutionFarzana SurildquoThat makes you a gossipmonger You are furthering the negative energy Instead take a step back and analyse the situation Take stock of your actions and try to understand your managerrsquos triggers We should realise that nobody doles out bad behaviour in isolation They do it with people and under certain circumstances Maybe you are dealing with an anxious person perhaps they have toxic bosses who make them operate a certain way or they have set unrealistic career goals for themselvesrdquo she points out advising 1 Preplan your course of action Once we have a better idea of how our bosses think we know what to avoid If theyrsquore particular about deadlines and like micromanaging anticipate their queries and plan your work accordingly Donrsquot give them an opportunity to come back to you with complaints If they want everything on email send out an intimation before they ask for it2 Leave the personal aside An employer doesnrsquot specifically mistreat one staffer Learn to consider their behaviour as a pattern They have done and will do the same with other staff too Distancing the personal from an event helps us identify a chiefrsquos conduct as a demon theyrsquore battling It prevents us from selfdoubt poor confidence and dilemmaTanisha Guin3 Do whatrsquos done in the Armed Forces An assertive boss is usually a perfectionist They pick at a staffer because they donrsquot trust them and fear that a task assigned to them wonrsquot be delivered on time or pass their quality standards In such a case we should ask questions We can repeat our seniorrsquos instructions as questions to them with an intent to understand their expectations The practice is followed in the Army so that therersquos no room for confusion4 Learn to negotiate While we pay heed to deadlines set by a senior there are often practical hindrances that we are aware of Take your senior through the steps that you have to follow to finish a job and ask them about cutoffs if deadlines canrsquot be met We should learn to negotiate mutual expectations 5 Be a problemsolver In case of sudden hiccups always reach out to your boss with solutions An anxious manager isnrsquot great with lastminute challenges and when presented with problems might see you as a weak link in their growth chain It also helps build trustBreak the cycleTanisha Guin a career coach in the social impact industry believes that caustic behavioural patterns shouldnrsquot be encouraged ldquoIf you are being bullied or held accountable for something you havenrsquot done put your truth across in a civil way Itrsquos essential to speak out but never mistreat your seniors Start a conversation that can be backed by a track record of deadlines and deliverables you have met Maintain a record over a period of time so that your dismissive boss canrsquot call your need for dialogue an expression of your emotions alonerdquo she shares Guin adds that tact is handy to start a conversation with an abusive person ldquoStart with reposing your faith in your boss Say that you would like to believe they are the type of person who believes in certain ideals Then push for your concerns but pose them as questions that stand out in contrast to fulfilled prerequisitesrdquo she addsComing apart at the seamsThe cutthroat world of fashion interests Noidaresident Gobhil V for its creative challenges He says ldquoIf yoursquore working with the right team and doing your best the possibilities are endlessrdquo Although every workplace can have its set of disadvantages the design graduate feels that a series of toxic experiences at his last two jobs has deeply distressed him ldquoI was given the pink slip at my last job on November 3 My contract was terminated over a text message and I have still not received a concrete reason for their decision Apparently I was fired for working on parallel projects I have designed outfits as part of freelance assignments mdash something I did after the daily hours committed to my fulltime job My contract with the company mdash although it wasnrsquot quite structured mdash never mentioned anything against freelance gigsrdquo recalls Gobhil who has recently joined a smaller label He is now focused on finding his composed self at work through therapyExperts suggest that workplace issues should not be taken to heartLooking back the 29yearold couturier reckons he shared a difficult relationship with his former employers because they brought their personal business to office ldquoItrsquos hard to work if there is no room for suggestions The firm was run by two brothers While one would walk in drunk and continue drinking in his office through the day the other person would demand noninterference from the staff while he stayed locked up in his office with two men for hours These were routine happenings They were unavailable for feedback domineering and closed to proposals from employees They have randomly fired other members toordquoGobhil says when adverse situations become typical much of it is a blur He is glad to have quit his secondlast job where he was being attacked violated and questioned for quality work He recounts some of his innovations which his employer liked mdash and being asked if he ideates under the effect of drugs ldquoHow do you react to that My manager also relied on an astrologer for professional decisions and on multiple accounts without my consent has discussed our interactions with the person I have had to put up with unwarranted analyses on my sexuality background and disposition We had access to a mental health professional in the company but vulnerabilities discussed with the therapist would reach our boss which she would use against us in an argumentrdquo he sharesMaster the mindgtgt Try to gauge your seniorrsquos way of expressing dissatisfaction Check if they have left any scope for healthy communicationgtgt Be open to handling constructive criticism instead of being defensivegtgt Practise healthy detachment from the situation and donrsquot label your boss as toxic or nasty It wonrsquot help you return to work the next daygtgt Work on your coping mechanisms Find validation in relationships outside workgtgt Limit your expectations of compassion from leaders and find the next best alternative to work in a civil wayShrradha Sidhwani psychologist