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Dealing with Difficult Bosses

jamienoelle

New member
So I am in a difficult position where I am working for someone that has no understanding of my skill set or what our business needs to be successful. He is pushing for unrealistic goals and is overly focused on unimportant things. I am struggling because I feel that I am not appreciated in my position but I am in an "entry" level position and this is our general manager so I don't know how to make sure they understand everything I am doing to try and achieve our goals but that things take time. Anyone have tips for helping a clueless boss understand the importance of your job?
 

SteedBonnet

New member
Just do your job. Don't worry about what he thinks the company needs in order to be successful. Everyone feels underappreciated, and rightly so. Nobody at work cares if you do your job well; the upside is that you can also do a mediocre job while still flying under the radar. Stop caring so much and shoot for mediocrity. As long as you're employed and getting paid, you're good.
 

chl0206

New member
Hi jamienoelle,

I am not in an entry level position, but have worked with several different bosses who all showed some variation of what you describe. I think some of it has to do with the fact that people in leadership positions often don't stop to consider the details of the daily operations it takes to run a business because they are thinking in much broader strokes, in terms of goals and revenues and vision. Sort of a "they can't see the trees for the forest" type of situation.

Not sure I agree with SteedBonnet :) unless that's an approach that works for you. Finding ways to communicate what you are doing to your boss could help. I know you probably have a position description, but those don't usually capture everything we do in a day. Perhaps try keeping a log of everything you do for a week or sitting down and writing your own position based on what you ACTUALLY do. In the past, I have found this to be very helpful because you yourself may not realize all that you do. If it's something you decide to talk with your boss with, you will have to find a way to approach him. If he's not receptive, at least you'll have a good start on your resume when you apply for other jobs...
 

Phil

New member
Howdy Jamienoelle,

I am sorry to hear you are struggling to feel appreciation from your Boss. First, someone should try to understand the boss's position. More than likely, your boss has a boss that he has to report to. Therefore, the information you might think to be important to your boss may not be the same kind of information he needs to provide to corporate. So, crazy as it may seem, my advise is to take the opportunity to understand what your boss really needs. He or she might be worried that you are after his job at first. Just explain that you want to ensure your work is helping take some of the load off of his hands, is meeting his expectations or is, as you say, worthy of appreciation. For part two, let me share a piece of vital information. You see, managers like good results. As time permits, try to check with other department heads if you feel the increase of good results may affect their sections. Subsequently, evaluate opportunities to use your (or your team's) talents to improve results. Afterward, create reports that show your (or your team's) work has improved a certain aspect of the business.
In the service, while stationed in Germany, I once had a platoon leader who treated our team as slaves. Most of my time there was spent working. I recall that the rate of divorce within the platoon was higher than the whole unit (including yours truly) Anyway, the point is that members of the workforce, blue collar or not, will find themselves under different bosses, each with their own type of leadership style. So, as I tried to encourage, find ways to make a positive difference, perhaps in the manner that one would want their team to help.
(My experience stems from real-world, college-level case studies as well as community service).

Respectfully (and thankfully, I am no longer working for a certain Chief Warrant Officer),

Phil
 

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