By Dr. Sylvia Lafair
Did you ever work for someone who points their finger at you like they want to poke out your eyes? Did you, or maybe YOU DO, work for someone who is always telling you what is not working and rarely acknowledges what is working? Have you ever reported to someone whose negativity is like a cloud over every sunny day? Welcome to the world of the persecutor/bully boss. There seems to be so many of them out there, especially during this time of economic tension. The big question is “Do you stay and suffer or leave?”
Before you go to that either/or scenario stop a minute and think about what you can do or say that might, just might make a difference. “Not possible” you say. Maybe that is true. However, before you give up totally, think about what your work day would be like if your boss could learn to point that finger up toward the sky, the place where dreams and visions are formed.
Here are a few simple tips for you to help the persecutor/bully boss become a visionary leader!
• Get personal: No, I don’t mean get chummy. I do mean see your boss as a human being who has a life outside of work.
• Ask: Just some simple stuff about family may give you a clue to who this man or woman is and what makes them tick
• Offer: Find out what kind of extra help you can give to get through a tough project
• Suggest: A few ideas that may or may not be utilized may help the boss see a new perspective
• Own: Tell your boss about what you do to limit stress, it may be an ‘aha’ that could be of benefit to him or her
• Acknowledge: You can always find something to appreciate and you’d be surprised what happens when you say it out loud instead of just thinking it
• Paint: A bigger picture of what the future at work can look like that may be just the right medicine to help your boss out of a slump
The newest research in neuropsychology indicates that we certainly do impact each other and that change is not just internal, it is between individuals. The best leadership development programs and conflict resolution seminars give methods and techniques to show that helping each other is good health inducing and can create powerful changes in the workplace. So, go to it. Your boss will thank you.
