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Suggest You - Understanding And Coping With Difficult Managers
Fired, canned, laid off, let go. Whatever you want to call it, it could happen. Sometimes, people see it coming. Other times, they're caught completely off guard. Either way, the process of surviving the loss of a job is the same, and it takes hard work and resolve to do so.Let goFor most people, their initial reaction to a job loss is shock, followed by anger and feelings of victimization. While these reactions are completely normal, dwelling on them is a mistake. As the old adage goes, you need to pull yourself up by the bootstraps and move forward. Feel sad, get mad…and move on! The worst thing you can do is bring a toxic attitude with you wherever you go, or wallow in self-pity.Examine the evidenceIf you've been fired, you need to assess why. In some cases, it has nothing to do with you, but if it does, you owe it to yourself to examine the reasons. If your behavior, attitude, performance, or abilities were to blame, ask yourself how you can learn from the experience so you don't repeat the same mistakes. Being fired can sometimes provide a big wake-up call that spurs people to positive change and a brighter future.Don't blame the messengerA layoff is usually an entirely diffe
Selective feedback
Many difficult managers surround themselves with "yes" people. People who tell them they are doing well when their performance is terrible. Since they are apt to surround themselves with people that exemplify their behaviour, they really don’t know that their performance is less than satisfactory. They intentionally or unintentionally choke off open and honest feedback and believe they are doing a good job because, no one has told them differently.
Strategies For Coping With A Difficult Manager:
You cannot manage something that you cannot control. Many of us have tried to manage our personal relationship’s and we have found that we are worse off in comparison to when we started. If you can control something then, you can manage it. Difficult managers are much the same. They cannot be managed because they cannot be controlled. We can cope with but, not control a difficult manager.
Here are seven strategies you might consider when coping with a difficult manager.
Support your manager
Do not, under any circumstance put down or bad mouth your manager in front of subordinates, peers or other managers
Why is it that academics the world over are trading in their old profession and training to become plumbers? It is a phenomenon that can be seen all over the world as plumbing is becoming a lucrative trade in most countries. The reason for this is a lack or rather shortage of plumbers, pushing demand higher than the current levels of supply. This means plumbers, especially those working for themselves, can be earning up to three times more than college and university leavers, with some earning up to $150,000 per year.While the money is fantastic plumbing isn’t for everyone. There is a lot to consider and plumbers have to deal with human excrement on a daily basis, from blocked pipes and toilets to working with draining and pipes. It certainly isn’t a glamorous job and you need a strong stomach.Along with the rise in people training to become plumbers, plumbing training schools have popped up in the thousands eager to capitalize on the opportunity. Retired plumbers or those who have worked in the trade for many years are now hanging up their tools and teaching new recruits on intensive plumbing courses that can see the recruit self-employed and earning in a matter of months in some cases.Plumbing cours
Unfortunately, the participants who are saying these comments are not alone in their frustration. Based on my calculations, previous experiences and reading data based networks, approximately twenty eight per cent of all working Canadians believe that they work for a good manager; thirty eight per cent say they would fire their manager if they could; four per cent would have their manager assessed by a psychologist and thirty per cent would send their manager to management training.
No doubt, many people are a victim of circumstance and wind up working for a manager who is weak and ineffective. We don’t often choose the manager we work for and we do not have to fall victim to their short comings. It is important to realize that we cannot control or change our manager but, we can control and change the way we interact with them.
It is true that some managers are just plain bad people. They have no respect for others nor do they respect their professional environment or the company they work for. These managers are miserable and their values evil; as a result, they don’t respect themselves. Although these types of managers are few and far between, you may work for a manager like this. Should this be the case, there is virtually nothing that you can do about it. Accept the fact that this is the situation and make a decision to stay or leave.
On the hand, most difficult managers are not aware of the fact that they are difficult. They actually think they are good managers setting good examples of leadership. Understanding why and how your manager has gone off track may help you choose the best strategy for working with him or her.
Here Are Seven Reasons Why Managers Are Difficult:
Micro management
Some managers have been embarrassed by someone’s poor performance in the past and they are determined not to let this happen again. As a result, they are involved in every detail and decision that takes place in the business unit usually confusing results with activities. This is compounded when the manager’s boss expects him or her to micro manage the daily activities of the business unit. Micro managing leads to ineffective time and priority management skills and eventually disconnects the boss from subordinates.
In over their heads
Many difficult managers have been promoted to their current position because of their technical skills, their good attendance record, their willingness to work extra hours or their friendly non threatening relationship with their boss. Critical management skills such as organizational skills, leadership skills and decision making skills are given little or no consideration, resulting in an ineffective and at times a burdensome manager.
Management by numbers
Too many managers have been trained to manage by numbers. They are firmly committed to letting the budget manage them rather than take the initiative to manage the budget. These managers make all decisions solely based on the numbers regardless of the collateral damage in the workplace. People are disposable balance sheet items that are expected to get the job completed within the pre determined financial parameters.
Bad boss mentor syndrome
Most difficult managers learn at the feet of the master and unfortunately were promoted to their current position by the master. Mentored by bad examples, they in turn mimicked the same bahaviours. The master has taught them the art of micro management, management by numbers and the take no prisoner approach by being rudely blunt and talking down to subordinates.
Overworked
Difficult managers all have one thing in common; they are fire fighters. Not only do they micro manage they are in the thick of many confrontations leaving little or no time to be proactive and get the job done. This can be disastrous for a difficult manager because s/he begins to work harder; not smarter, they push harder on their people to get the job done and become intolerant to mistakes. They are ineffective because they are ill equipped to deal with the pressures that today’s business opportunities bring causing their lack of leadership and analytical skills to become evident. There is little or no time for professional development as training may be seen as a sign of personal weakness or a luxury that the manager or subordinates cannot afford or don’t require.
Poor communicators
In the world of information technology many leaders feel compelled to increase communication through the utilization of email, high speed internet and black berry’s. Difficult managers tend to over use these methods by sending off emails to address challenges that should be addressed face to face or, at the very least over the telephone. To carry the problem further, some have reverted to conducting performance evaluations via email in order to reduce time constraints that have been caused by being overworked. The more connected a difficult manager gets to the information highway the more disconnected and disoriented become the subordinates.
Selective feedback
Many difficult managers surround themselves with "yes" people. People who tell them they are doing well when their performance is terrible. Since they are apt to surround themselves with people that exemplify their behaviour, they really don’t know that their performance is less than satisfactory. They intentionally or unintentionally choke off open and honest feedback and believe they are doing a good job because, no one has told them differently.
Strategies For Coping With A Difficult Manager:
You cannot manage something that you cannot control. Many of us have tried to manage our personal relationship’s and we have found that we are worse off in comparison to when we started. If you can control something then, you can manage it. Difficult managers are much the same. They cannot be managed because they cannot be controlled. We can cope with but, not control a difficult manager.
Here are seven strategies you might consider when coping with a difficult manager.
Support your manager
Do not, under any circumstance put down or bad mouth your manager in front of subordinates, peers or other managers.
Boundary setting is something one expects to find in a parenting book or a psychologist's journal. However, it applies to adult to adult relationships at work as much as it does to adult to child relationships.In almost any workplace, for any given behaviour required to deliver an organsation's goal, people can be split into three groups.One group is those that are both willing and able to perform and behave in a manner which contributes positively to the desired goal of the organisation.Another group is those who are unwilling to contribute to the desired goal of the organisation even if they are able.The third group is in the middle; those who sometimes are willing and sometimes are able to contribute to the desired goal of the organisation.When boundaries are not set and people are allowed to behave in whatever fashion suits them, the unwilling group generally outnumbers the group which is willing and able.People tend to seek the personal benefits of the freedom to do as they please over the benefits of the group.When boundaries are set, with consequences for breaching the boundaries, the group which is willing and able tends to outnumber the group which is unwilling.y they work for. These managers are miserable and their values evil; as a result, they don’t respect themselves. Although these types of managers are few and far between, you may work for a manager like this. Should this be the case, there is virtually nothing that you can do about it. Accept the fact that this is the situation and make a decision to stay or leave.
On the hand, most difficult managers are not aware of the fact that they are difficult. They actually think they are good managers setting good examples of leadership. Understanding why and how your manager has gone off track may help you choose the best strategy for working with him or her.
Here Are Seven Reasons Why Managers Are Difficult:
Micro management
Some managers have been embarrassed by someone’s poor performance in the past and they are determined not to let this happen again. As a result, they are involved in every detail and decision that takes place in the business unit usually confusing results with activities. This is compounded when the manager’s boss expects him or her to micro manage the daily activities of the business unit. Micro managing leads to ineffective time and priority management skills and eventually disconnects the boss from subordinates.
In over their heads
Many difficult managers have been promoted to their current position because of their technical skills, their good attendance record, their willingness to work extra hours or their friendly non threatening relationship with their boss. Critical management skills such as organizational skills, leadership skills and decision making skills are given little or no consideration, resulting in an ineffective and at times a burdensome manager.
Management by numbers
Too many managers have been trained to manage by numbers. They are firmly committed to letting the budget manage them rather than take the initiative to manage the budget. These managers make all decisions solely based on the numbers regardless of the collateral damage in the workplace. People are disposable balance sheet items that are expected to get the job completed within the pre determined financial parameters.
Bad boss mentor syndrome
Most difficult managers learn at the feet of the master and unfortunately were promoted to their current position by the master. Mentored by bad examples, they in turn mimicked the same bahaviours. The master has taught them the art of micro management, management by numbers and the take no prisoner approach by being rudely blunt and talking down to subordinates.
Overworked
Difficult managers all have one thing in common; they are fire fighters. Not only do they micro manage they are in the thick of many confrontations leaving little or no time to be proactive and get the job done. This can be disastrous for a difficult manager because s/he begins to work harder; not smarter, they push harder on their people to get the job done and become intolerant to mistakes. They are ineffective because they are ill equipped to deal with the pressures that today’s business opportunities bring causing their lack of leadership and analytical skills to become evident. There is little or no time for professional development as training may be seen as a sign of personal weakness or a luxury that the manager or subordinates cannot afford or don’t require.
Poor communicators
In the world of information technology many leaders feel compelled to increase communication through the utilization of email, high speed internet and black berry’s. Difficult managers tend to over use these methods by sending off emails to address challenges that should be addressed face to face or, at the very least over the telephone. To carry the problem further, some have reverted to conducting performance evaluations via email in order to reduce time constraints that have been caused by being overworked. The more connected a difficult manager gets to the information highway the more disconnected and disoriented become the subordinates.
Selective feedback
Many difficult managers surround themselves with "yes" people. People who tell them they are doing well when their performance is terrible. Since they are apt to surround themselves with people that exemplify their behaviour, they really don’t know that their performance is less than satisfactory. They intentionally or unintentionally choke off open and honest feedback and believe they are doing a good job because, no one has told them differently.
Strategies For Coping With A Difficult Manager:
You cannot manage something that you cannot control. Many of us have tried to manage our personal relationship’s and we have found that we are worse off in comparison to when we started. If you can control something then, you can manage it. Difficult managers are much the same. They cannot be managed because they cannot be controlled. We can cope with but, not control a difficult manager.
Here are seven strategies you might consider when coping with a difficult manager.
Support your manager
Do not, under any circumstance put down or bad mouth your manager in front of subordinates, peers or other managers
Have you ever had to distribute door-hanger advertisements for your business? Have you ever employed door-to-door sales techniques to increase your brand awareness? Have you ever had to walk mile-after-mile repeating the sales pitch, over and over? Have you ever had to stand outside of an arena event and pass out flyers to exiting patrons? If you stop to think of the cold calling technique of door-to door advertising, you would discover how sometimes humiliating it is to have a disinterested and irritated individual slam the door in your face, yell insulting things toward you, or be escorted off of their property. To combat this instantaneous humiliation, the idea of door-hanging advertisements gives the sales person a means of getting the word out to more people faster than before but more importantly, it saves the person the anguish of the advertised becoming irate over the interruption. Having been in situations were I have used these techniques either selling for other companies or trying to gain customers for a newly opened business, I came up with the idea of trying a door-to-driveway or door-to-doorstep advertising campaign to build brand awareness for a national car sales corporat
Management by numbers
Too many managers have been trained to manage by numbers. They are firmly committed to letting the budget manage them rather than take the initiative to manage the budget. These managers make all decisions solely based on the numbers regardless of the collateral damage in the workplace. People are disposable balance sheet items that are expected to get the job completed within the pre determined financial parameters.
Bad boss mentor syndrome
Most difficult managers learn at the feet of the master and unfortunately were promoted to their current position by the master. Mentored by bad examples, they in turn mimicked the same bahaviours. The master has taught them the art of micro management, management by numbers and the take no prisoner approach by being rudely blunt and talking down to subordinates.
Overworked
Difficult managers all have one thing in common; they are fire fighters. Not only do they micro manage they are in the thick of many confrontations leaving little or no time to be proactive and get the job done. This can be disastrous for a difficult manager because s/he begins to work harder; not smarter, they push harder on their people to get the job done and become intolerant to mistakes. They are ineffective because they are ill equipped to deal with the pressures that today’s business opportunities bring causing their lack of leadership and analytical skills to become evident. There is little or no time for professional development as training may be seen as a sign of personal weakness or a luxury that the manager or subordinates cannot afford or don’t require.
Poor communicators
In the world of information technology many leaders feel compelled to increase communication through the utilization of email, high speed internet and black berry’s. Difficult managers tend to over use these methods by sending off emails to address challenges that should be addressed face to face or, at the very least over the telephone. To carry the problem further, some have reverted to conducting performance evaluations via email in order to reduce time constraints that have been caused by being overworked. The more connected a difficult manager gets to the information highway the more disconnected and disoriented become the subordinates.
Selective feedback
Many difficult managers surround themselves with "yes" people. People who tell them they are doing well when their performance is terrible. Since they are apt to surround themselves with people that exemplify their behaviour, they really don’t know that their performance is less than satisfactory. They intentionally or unintentionally choke off open and honest feedback and believe they are doing a good job because, no one has told them differently.
Strategies For Coping With A Difficult Manager:
You cannot manage something that you cannot control. Many of us have tried to manage our personal relationship’s and we have found that we are worse off in comparison to when we started. If you can control something then, you can manage it. Difficult managers are much the same. They cannot be managed because they cannot be controlled. We can cope with but, not control a difficult manager.
Here are seven strategies you might consider when coping with a difficult manager.
Support your manager
Do not, under any circumstance put down or bad mouth your manager in front of subordinates, peers or other managers
If the excitement of international travel appeals to you, then you might want to think of being an international travel nurse. Of course, finding a placement agency is going to be the first key to doing that, and in a detailed search, only agencies placing nurses from overseas into the United States came into play. However, if the program works the same way, the placement agency or employer will make all arrangements for your travel and the obtaining of your visa and green card to allow you perform your assignment internationally. You will also need a work permit, which will be obtained for you as well.International travel nursing can provide a worldwide wealth of knowledge, especially if you are interested in working in some of the poorer countries instead of those with a wealth of riches to offer. The challenges of working in a country that speaks a different language, has a different culture, and has different medical needs can be crucial to the expansion of your nursing knowledge. The development of worldwide knowledge that you are able to take home with you can make the experience one that will allow you to greater utilize the skills that you have learned.Becoming an international travel nurse can
Poor communicators
In the world of information technology many leaders feel compelled to increase communication through the utilization of email, high speed internet and black berry’s. Difficult managers tend to over use these methods by sending off emails to address challenges that should be addressed face to face or, at the very least over the telephone. To carry the problem further, some have reverted to conducting performance evaluations via email in order to reduce time constraints that have been caused by being overworked. The more connected a difficult manager gets to the information highway the more disconnected and disoriented become the subordinates.
Selective feedback
Many difficult managers surround themselves with "yes" people. People who tell them they are doing well when their performance is terrible. Since they are apt to surround themselves with people that exemplify their behaviour, they really don’t know that their performance is less than satisfactory. They intentionally or unintentionally choke off open and honest feedback and believe they are doing a good job because, no one has told them differently.
Strategies For Coping With A Difficult Manager:
You cannot manage something that you cannot control. Many of us have tried to manage our personal relationship’s and we have found that we are worse off in comparison to when we started. If you can control something then, you can manage it. Difficult managers are much the same. They cannot be managed because they cannot be controlled. We can cope with but, not control a difficult manager.
Here are seven strategies you might consider when coping with a difficult manager.
Support your manager
Do not, under any circumstance put down or bad mouth your manager in front of subordinates, peers or other managers
As engineers and technical professionals we are all trained to be logical and rational and rely on proven facts in making decisions. The approach with engineers is to vigorously apply the blowtorch to any concept which is rather nebulous and stick to solid engineering design practise. However as Margot Cairnes, an Australian leadership strategist recently pointed out: ‘This often means being conventional, boring and underperforming (when creating solutions to difficult problems). In a changing world, creativity is essential, not only to keep pace with change but to be at the crest of the wave’.I am sure you have been in numerous engineering meetings which grind on and on regarding some trivial but critical design issue. Important, perhaps, in many cases. But we submerge our creativity under this overwhelming conventional but safe engineering thinking. It is staggering how many brilliant and effective products are out there which were created through creative thinking and “thinking foolishly”. These range from products as varied as the 3M Post It note, the Kreepy Krauly pool cleaner, the iPod to the ubiquitous telephone.Here at IDC we brainstorm foolishly at times when designing new services or products. In
Selective feedback
Many difficult managers surround themselves with "yes" people. People who tell them they are doing well when their performance is terrible. Since they are apt to surround themselves with people that exemplify their behaviour, they really don’t know that their performance is less than satisfactory. They intentionally or unintentionally choke off open and honest feedback and believe they are doing a good job because, no one has told them differently.
Strategies For Coping With A Difficult Manager:
You cannot manage something that you cannot control. Many of us have tried to manage our personal relationship’s and we have found that we are worse off in comparison to when we started. If you can control something then, you can manage it. Difficult managers are much the same. They cannot be managed because they cannot be controlled. We can cope with but, not control a difficult manager.
Here are seven strategies you might consider when coping with a difficult manager.
Support your manager
Do not, under any circumstance put down or bad mouth your manager in front of subordinates, peers or other managers. This is known as mutiny and the consequence of such can be severe. Ensure that your manager gets an abundance of credit for the work that you have done, even if s/he doesn’t deserve it. In all your tasks, make sure that you cater to their strengths and be quick to play down or avoid their weaknesses.
Be an initiator
You have heard the saying, "it is better to beg forgiveness than ask for permission". The same can be said when dealing with a difficult manager. Establish your top goals and objectives (four to six is very manageable), get your manager’s input, adjust accordingly and make it happen. Keep your manager informed on a regular basis and reset priorities only when absolutely necessary. Difficult managers will leave you alone because they are over matched and you are the least of their challenges. They may even view you as being a star performer because you are the least of their challenges.
Crash manage priorities
If you are a star performer, sooner or later your manager will come to you with urgent matters. When s/he does, pull out your previously agreed upon list and ask what items are to be moved or rearranged in order to accommodate the request. Focus your energy on those items that you can control and cautiously select those elements that you believe you can influence.
See the political landscape for what it is
Everything in business is political except politics, that’s personal. Learn how to play the political game by determining who the players are and how the game is played. Remember, organizational politics is a function of responsibility, accountability, authority and influence and, it is part of the organizational landscape. If you have more than one person working in your organization ; you have politics. Politics pervades our daily working life. That means building strategic relationships with others that might include personal trust and professional networks. The key is to remember 30% of people are doers, 50% are fence sitters and 20% are naysayers. Work with the 30% because these are the people who are willing to move ahead and make things happen.
Be credible
The biggest intangible you have to deliver your boss is your credibility. Do what you say you are going to do, do it with passion, professionalism and exceed expectations. Never under deliver, over promise or compromise your commitments to others. Credibility will establish leadership potential and keep you in good stead with the manager and others.
Timing is everything
You must be patient and wait for the right time to approach your manager. Are they more receptive in the morning or afternoon? Is s/he more receptive to one on one conversations, team meetings or carefully worded proposals? Many times they are going to have bad encounters with others and this is usually accompanied with negative consequences. It’s a good idea to anticipate these encounters and never approach him / her afterwards.
Don’t be a victim of circumstance
Remember, you cannot manage those things that you cannot control and you cannot control your manager. Always be building professional relationships within the organization with your peers, your manager’s peers and other business unit leaders. Your best strategy to not becoming a victim is having a well planned exit strategy.
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