What is the best way to deal with a grouchy, tempermental boss?

1. 60

   CastleQueenposted 12 years ago

   What is the best way to deal with a grouchy, tempermental boss?
   
   It's a danged if ya do and danged if ya don't kinda thing

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2. 57

   Beege215eposted 12 years ago

   You do your absolutely best work when at work, you do it right the first time every time, you smile and continue doing your work, you never, never, never grouse back at the boss or to anyone else at work about the boss..  After 60 days of that nonsense you can go to that boss and smile while you ask for a raise. When that boss asks you what makes you think you deserve a raise you tell that person that you are being paid just fine for the work you do, but putting up with that persons attitude requires extra effort that is not included in your job description. Do not raise your voice, do not swear, do not get emotional. Smiling confuses the management.
      Be prepared to find a new job, you do not need the stressors in your emotional or physical life.

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3. 60

   Lions Den Mediaposted 12 years ago

   Is your boss male or female? Keep your head low and do your job as well as you possibly can. If the atmosphere is unbearable then look at getting a different job. If this is your dream job, then you simply need to suck-it-up and accept the fact that it is what it is.
   
   Personally, if it was a business you would like to start and could do, then start your own business, take all his/her clients and put him/her out business. Living well and success is always satisfying.

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4. 0

   Larry Wallposted 12 years ago

   First, you pray a lot.
   Next you decide if the job is worth the aggravation that your boss is causing. I have work for such people in the newspaper and PR business. Grouchy and ill-tempered can really take on many forms.
   
   I had a job where the boss told me early on that he did not want to hear what had been done in the past. I had been with the company for 20 years. He was new.
   
   I responded by saying that I would tell him what we did, if it worked or did not work and offer my suggestions. At the end of the day, I would have completed the task he assigned the way he wanted it. I kept that promise, but I still lost my job--no reason was given, except that my position was being eliminated.
   
   So depending on your age and financial situation you have to decide how much you can take and what you can do to avoid his ire. Otherwise you may want to move on. Unless there is some epiphany in his life, he is unlikely to change. I had several bosses over the years who believed they were always right.
   
   I was fortunate to have three that were open to suggestion, new ideas and constructive criticism of what they were proposing. Those kind of bosses are hard to find, but if you do, hang on to that job as long as you can..

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5. 68

   SantaCruzposted 12 years ago

   If he or she is bad enough, they might self-destruct. My friend had a horrible boss who ruined her own career one night at a corporate event. She got LOADED and fell apart.
   
   It could also help to figure out the source of your boss's grumpiness. Some people are mean because they look crummy. (Seriously.) If that's the case, a few compliments about your boss's style would go far. The boss also might feel threatened by underlings' ambitions and need to feel reassured about his or her importance. Or maybe you need to slip Prozac into their coffee.
   
   Make small talk about stuff they like. Give them the chance to be an expert on a topic (without making yourself look incompetent). For example, pretend that your cousin is applying to your boss's alma mater or moving to your boss's hometown. This would give them a chance to talk about something they care about and open up a bit too... like a human.

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