Ever watch the movie Ben-Hur? At one point, the hero, Judah Ben-Hur, is forced to row a warship with the other slaves into battle. It's hot, cramped,
and sticky, and—let's face it—these people haven't bathed in a while. The tension builds as the enemy ships come into view.
The slaves are chained to their oars and the oarsman pounds out a beat that the slaves must match in their rowing pace. The
pounding beat gets faster and the slaves row furiously to keep up. They begin to collapse and fall to the floor, unable to
keep the pace—even when there's a whip across their back to force them to keep going. Does this sound familiar? I hope not.
But if it does, it's time to learn a few techniques to manage your manager.
Drop the megaphone
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Ask anyone who's worked for someone for a while and they'll quickly agree: Nothing compares to a wonderful boss. Several recent
studies by the American Management Association demonstrate employees who enjoy working with their bosses are more likely to
stick around. Team members who feel ignored, unchallenged, unacknowledged, and taken for granted will typically do just enough
to get by—creating a cycle that further distances them from their managers.
Get your ideas heard
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We tend to accept, rather than confront, difficult behavior in bosses—and ourselves. Achieving change may seem tough—or even
impossible. While it's true you can't control your manager's behavior, you choose how you'll respond. When you manage your
manager, you enhance the work environment, increase your success, and reduce your frustration with your boss. Let's look at
six solutions to improve your work life.
She's on a different playing field
8 communication tips
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Every morning, when Andrea walks into the NoCanTell Animal Clinic, she wonders whether her manager will ignore her. No "Good
morning." No "How are you?" No response at all, like Andrea doesn't exist. "Makes me want to go to lunch and see how long
it takes her to notice I never came back," she thinks.
Get your boss
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Do you see your boss as a person with the same day-to-day problems and personality idiosyncrasies as everyone else on the
team? While this doesn't excuse seemingly negative behavior, bosses deserve some degree of understanding that—just like you—they
can be distracted from the people around them. However, if this is more than just an occasional issue, it's time to manage
your boss's potentially destructive behavior.
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