Judgement about your boss

                                                                       Author : Dashleen Bhandari

Everyone complains about his /her boss from time to time. Infact , some consider it a national workplace pastime. But there's a difference between everyday gripping and stressful frustration , just as there is a clear distinction between a manager with a few flaws and one who is incompetent. Dealing with the latter can be anguishing and taxing. Ineptitude in managers is unfortunately because too many companies promote people for wrong reasons. People get ahead because they show results or have the right technical capabilities , but they often don't have the requisite people skills. Whether your boss lacks technical or managerial ability , the results are the same: bad bosses sap motivation , kill productivity and can make you want to run from the job screaming. While leaving is an option it's not the only one for coping with a bad boss.

Before you declare your boss useless , check your bias and better understand whar you are seeing. "When you're looking at your boss , the first thing you need to do before you judge , is look at yourself ," says Mckee. Many people have blind spots when it comes to their bosses ,ask yourself whether you are jealous of her position in an organization or if you have a natural tendency to resist authority. Your assessment of her incompetence may be unfairly informed by these beliefs.

Consider also whether you have all the relevant information. "Be cautious about your judgement until you collect the evidence ," Says Useem. Remember she may have stressors you don't see or fully understand. It's very common for people to completely miss the pressure their boss is under. Partly because a good manager will buffer you from them. By learning more about your boss and developing empathy for her , you may reevaluate her competence.Remember even if you conclude that she is indeed incapable , that she is human and don't demonize her.

Rather than giving up on an ineffectual boss , focus on what you can do to fill in the holes. It's the calling of leadership to understand what the office or organization needs and what the customer deserves and to the help them get it.

If you recognize [your boss isn't] fulfilling the mission of the enterprise , more power to you for stepping up. You don't have to cover up mistakes but do what's best for the organization. "Leadership goes up just as often as it goes down " , says Useem. You need to do this without harboring resentment. Do it because you know that it's necessary for the good of the team.

Both Mckee and Useem emphasize that there are times when you are obligated to speak up. "In extreme circumstances , if the boss is involved in malfeasance , you have a duty to act ," says Useem. In these cases , you need to go to HR and report what you have observed . Be ready to share evidence.

Working for an incompetent boss can be bad for you health. Creating psychological boundaries that protect you from the emotional damage. We have tendency to point to a bad boss and say " He is ruining my life" . But , this ignores the fact that you have agency in the situation : you can decide whether to stay or not." Once you become a victim , you cease to become a leader. Focus on what makes you happy about your job , not miserable. " We can come to work everyday and pay attention to this horrible boss or we can choose to pay attention to the people we are happy to see everyday or the work we enjoy , we can choose which emotions we lean into .

By : Dashleen Bhandari