Putting Salve On A Pain in the —- Boss

There are lots of blogs and articles about bully bosses and how to handle them. Most end by saying either “leave” or “suck it up and stay”. Are there any other options that might work better? First, it is important to understand what is underneath the nasty bad boss syndrome. Persecutors NEED TO FEEL IMPORTANT. They tend to dominate conversations and want to be the center of attention. They expect those who work with and for them to help maintain their “most important status”. They love to find fault with other people’s work and will make snide comments in front of others.

The difference between persecutors and tough bosses is significant. Tough bosses will set a high bar and offer challenges. Bully/persecuting bosses give and withhold information as a means of exercising power.  You know the differences between tough and persecutor bosses by the tightness in your gut when you have to deal with them. While you may feel tense with a tough boss, you feel incapacitated and often physically ill with a bully boss.

Unwillingness to speak out against a persecutor personality is a silent epidemic at work. According to the Gallop Organization, bullying by immediate bosses is the single most important reason people quit their jobs, even in a down economy. Having a brutal boss or peer can cause depression, sleep disorders, ulcers, high blood pressure, lowered self-confidence, and a sense of isolation.

The good news is that persecutors can turn into marvelous visionaries when they learn the OUT Technique (Observe, understand and transform). The energy to be awful turns into energy to be awesome!

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