How to Manage Tyrant Bosses & Remain Productive

Tyrannical bosses can have any one or several of the bad boss traits you’ve probably witnessed at some point. There are two traits, however, I hear the most about in the workplace – bullying and overly demanding. Fortunately, there are ways to manage up with a difficult boss.

As I describe in the Forbes article How to Deal With a Bullying Boss, there are many types of bullying bosses. They can run the gambit from the covert, fear-provoking bully to those who throw tirades and intimidate employees continuously.

I point out in the article, “Bullying in the workplace is similar to the school playground in that people are being demeaned or exploited. But in the office, bullying is far more subversive and challenging to overcome. These grown bullies are adept at finding non-assertive victims and staying under the radar.” There are ten tips on how to handle a bullying boss plus an interesting list from the Workplace Bullying Institute of the 25 most common tactics adopted by bullies. Take a look.

An overly demanding boss — one who sets unrealistic or extremely high standards — can make you feel as if you work constantly under the gun. In 10 Tips For Dealing With An Overly Demanding Boss, I explain to Forbes readers how “an overly demanding boss doesn’t empathize or understand what’s required for you to deliver results, and he will keep pushing you until you take action.”

Besides the 10 tips mentioned in the article, it’s helpful to have all your ducks in a row when dealing with a demanding boss. And that includes being able to start and end your work day on an organized and efficient note. As I explain in 14 Things You Should Do at the Start of Every Work Day (Forbes) “Having a good start to the day where you have greater control is critical in achieving better results, and ultimately greater career success.” Make how you end the day count, too, in deflecting an overly demanding boss by being fully prepared to seize the (next) day.

“How you end the day is equally critical, as it has much to do with how you start the next day,” I mention in 16 Things You Should Do At The End Of Every Work Day (Forbes). “It’s half of the puzzle of being productive. Both pieces are like bookends that carry extra weight relative to what happens in between. They’re like first and last impressions that hold tremendous impact on your view of your work, attitude and productivity level.”

Both articles on starting and ending your day will help you take charge of the situation no matter what garden variety of office tyrant you face in the workplace.