5 effective ways to deal with a toxic boss at work

There's no rule that says we have to like the people that we work with and some are more unbearable than others. Having a horrible boss can really affect your time at work. If you feel like your boss is getting under your skin, here's 5 effective ways to deal with a toxic boss at work.

Call it a power trip or they're simply not a very nice person but when people get into positions of power, their behaviour often changes. Especially when they have not had to deal with this level of responsibility before and they have the power to make your life absolute hell. From making you feel like you're bad at your job to showing favouritsim to other colleagues, a bad boss can make you not even want to show up that day. Bad bosses contaminate the workplace. Some do so without realising, whilst others smugly manipulate their employees, using them as instruments of their own success.

Your relationships at work are very important to your mental health. You spend more time at work anywhere else, so getting along with your colleagues and boss is important to your overall happiness. But unfortunately for some, that’s not always the case. Some of us have terrible colleagues and mean and spiteful bosses in particular and whilst it's fairly easy to ignore the coworker, you can’t ignore your horrible boss.

Your boss can make an enormous impact on your professional future, and for that reason, a toxic boss cause feelings of anxiety and fear. You can’t treat it like a toxic friendship or significant other where you simply cut ties or defend yourself, because you have to see them every day, and if you cross the line, it could affect your future at the company. You could look for another job and leave the situation entirely, but why should you leave what you love doing and feel passionate about because of one insufferable person?

When you've got a toxic boss that is simply making your life miserable, here are 5 ways that you can successfully deal with them.

1. Try not to take it personally.

It’s easier said than done, but learning to not let nasty comments affect you will only help your emotional state. If you are truly comfortable with who you are and know your value in the workplace, what really could your boss say to ruffle your feathers?

Whatever the problem, remember it's their problem and not yours. Bear this in mind every day and your days will become instantly easier.

2. Remember the bigger picture

In the midst of all the drama  in the workplace, it is normal to forget the bigger picture and lose focus on your work. Yes, your boss might make coming to work an absolute nightmare, but nothing is worth running your career  and future prospects over.

Bosses are transient and should not drive you to take decisions that can prove to be damning to you. Keep your eyes on the prize and don’t let office politics, pettiness and bureaucracy to deter you from reaching those goals.

Once you are out of this situation, which you will eventually will be as you go higher up the career ladder, you will be glad you were patient enough to deal with the situation.

3. Remember that you don’t actually need them to succeed.

You might think that you cannot move up the professional ladder without the approval and support of your immediate boss but that's not entirely true. Find ways to show the other senior level management in your company how valuable you are. You can also join professional groups outside of work, and create your own network of people.

Play your cards right and soon, your horrible boss will be seeking approval from you.

4. What goes around, comes around

Mean people always get what’s coming to them. Karma is very real. When it comes to business, some people think success means lacking humanity, empathy and being sly in order to get ahead. If your boss is one of them, you can take comfort in knowing that, that type of behaviour will only get them so far in life.

In fact, you may look and realise that they too are stuck in a career rut because their nasty attitudes will not allow them to rise further up the ranks.

5. Lower your Expectations

Often without realising, we expect perfection from people in higher positions. We assume that experience and their position makes them perfect but at the end of the day, they're human and they make mistakes. Understanding that people aren’t perfect makes it easier to deal with their bad behaviour.

It's not a justification but a better understanding of people and their idiosyncrasies will help you in your professional relationships and navigate professional relationships with more ease.