Managing Up: Learning How To Work With A Difficult Boss

In a perfect world, we would all have fantastic managers and supervisors-people who strive to help us succeed, make us feel valued, and are generally nice, kind people. Unfortunately, that is not always the case. However, whether the person you're working for has anger management problems, is someone you consider to be generally incompetent, tends to micromanage, or has any other number of faults; you still need to do your job and make the best of it (unless you want to be miserable as well). Try one or more of the tips below to hopefully find some common ground with your boss-or at the very least stay somewhat sane until you can find a new job.

• Try to identify your manager/supervisor's true motivation. This will not only give you significant insight into his/her management style, but it can also help you color slightly outside the lines. For instance, it could be possible that your boss does not really care whether you show up right on the dot at 8:30 AM or whether you take exactly one hour (and no less) for lunch, but he/she might care about how it looks to both other employees and the other managers in the office. Once you understand this, you can modify your behavior to match.
  
• Document everything, including your work. Make sure that you document all of your interactions with your boss as well-including requests, praise, and criticism-so you will be able to refer back to them if she contradicts herself in the future. Also, when your manager asks you for something, always try to get it in writing, so you can create a paper trail illustrating both her requests and what you're producing. Additionally, it's important for you to record your accomplishments and any compliments you might receive from other managers and co-workers along the way. In documenting these instances, make sure to note the date and time, as well as the significance of the incident. Were they any problems or issues you overcame? What would have had happened if you hadn't reacted in the way you did? Make sure you keep this information somewhere other than your work computer or the office server so you will still be able to access it in the event that you're terminated or choose to leave.
  
• Try not to let your manager's behavior affect your work. It's important to stay on excellent terms with other managers and supervisors in your company for a variety of reasons (and you don't want to lose you job). Avoid the urge to try and "get even" by taking longer lunches, slowing down your production, or taking last minute "sick" days just because you want to. This will only impact you, putting you further behind in your workload and will also help your boss to build a solid case against you that would warrant you potentially being fired.
  
• Try to stay one step ahead. When dealing with a difficult manager (especially a boss that tends to micromanage), it can be immensely useful to stay ahead of the curve. Try to anticipate what your boss is going to request, and complete it before he/she asks you to do it. This way you'll be ahead of schedule, and you'll minimize the need for him/her to consistently remind you of various tasks and responsibilities. You'll essentially be training your manager, illustrating over and over again that you are on top of your responsibilities.
  
• Keep your network alive and active. It's important to develop and maintain relationships with people in your company as well as clients or other professionals that you interact with frequently. Additionally, you can stay active with your college alumni and get involved in the community. This interaction will ensure that you remain visible, and it will likely be a huge help in you finding a new job in the future.
  
• Do not burn any bridges. No matter how tempting it might be, remember that you always have something to lose. It might seem therapeutic to "unload" your anger and frustration on your boss before you leave, but try to leave graciously. Think about what you did learn from your boss, the company, and your position. This will make a significant impression on others, and you never know who you will run into again in the future.

Bottom Line: Dealing with a terrible boss can be frustrating, but there are ways to "manage up" without your manager even realizing it. This will improve your quality of life and help you learn important skills all at once.