Since a significant portion of your life is spent at work, you want it to be as pleasant of an experience as possible. Unfortunately, this goal can be challenging to achieve if you have a difficult supervisor. Your interactions with them may begin to affect your happiness, productivity, and overall job performance. As such, it’s important to know how to properly deal with a situation like this so that it doesn’t consume your professional and personal life.

Below are a few tips professional career consultants often suggest for coping with a troublesome supervisor. 

4 Strategies for Dealing With a Difficult Supervisor

1. Stay Objective

Always remember that you shouldn’t take anything your supervisor says or does too personally. They may not realize how they’re acting, or they may be feeling a great deal of pressure in their role. Keep in mind that they could have things going on in their personal or professional life that don’t have anything to do with you. While this doesn’t give them an excuse to treat you with disrespect, it may help you try not to read too much into every action. 

2. Take Some Initiative 

If you’re dealing with a supervisor that micro-manages or snaps out orders, it’s best to be proactive. A career consultant may recommend starting each day or week by presenting your supervisor with a list of things you plan to accomplish and how you’re prioritizing them. This can help curb their anxiety and prove that you’re capable of handling your responsibilities yourself. 

3. Identify What Triggers Their Behavior

There’s a strong chance that your supervisor’s mood swings and that their disagreeable behavior is triggered by something specific. Monitor your interactions with them closely, and when they start behaving poorly, think about what could have set them off versus jumping to your rising sense of irritation. See if you can identify a pattern that will allow you to avoid frustrating encounters the next time. 

4. Speak Up in a Constructive Way or Minimize Contact

In some cases, it may make sense to speak up after something has happened which is painful, irritating, or unproductive behavior by your supervisor.  Do this constructively by making observations and asking questions with a positive tone of voice.  Be curious and avoid sarcasm or an accusatory tone.  Alternatively, it might be necessary for you to minimize the amount of time you spend around your supervisor. If possible, for some period of time, communicate mostly through email and stay focused on completing your work to the best of your ability. You want to maintain a positive reputation within the company to help you thrive in future opportunities.

If your current supervisor is creating an undesirable workplace, turn to Executive Coach Margaret M. Enloe, Esq. for expert advice. As a career consultant based in Manhattan, NY, she has worked with people from all professions to help them find greater satisfaction in the jobs they perform. She can give further insight into your situation and provide effective solutions that will allow you to thrive. Email me@margaretenloe.com to schedule an appointment or visit her online for more information on the career consultant services she offers.