Episode 60 | Dealing with Four Types of Difficult Managers

Episode Introduction

In this latest episode of The Better Workday Podcast, Niamh discusses the impact a difficult manager can have on your workday and career.  She covers four common 'bad boss' scenarios, providing practical advice on how to handle each one and improve your work life.

Episode Timestamps

00:00 Introduction
02:35 Understanding Inexperienced Managers
05:31 Dealing with Unavailable Managers
08:19 Navigating Badly Matched Managers
10:16 Coping with Narcissistic Managers
12:41 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

Episode Summary

Understanding Different Management Styles

Having a difficult boss can have a significant impact on your daily work, your ability to get things done, and your career progression.  While some people are well-established enough in their roles that a good or bad manager won't affect them much, this is not the case for most of us. In this episode, Niamh outlines four common scenarios where you might be working with a 'bad' manager.

The first two scenarios discussed are the inexperienced manager and the unavailable manager.  An inexperienced manager may micromanage due to fear or struggle with difficult conversations.  An unavailable manager may be so busy with meetings that they are hard to reach, which can leave you feeling unseen and can cause small problems to get bigger.  Niamh also discusses the badly matched manager, where a difference in personality or working style causes conflict, and the narcissistic manager, who takes all the credit for success and assigns all the blame for failures.  Regardless of the situation, there are strategies you can use to improve the relationship and your workday.

• For an inexperienced manager, consider using "managing up" techniques and building a relationship with a skip-level manager.
• When your manager is unavailable, agree on a realistic way to reach them, even if it's just for a few minutes a week.
• If you have a badly matched manager, exploring different personality types can help you understand and work better with them.
• When dealing with a narcissistic manager, it's essential to document your work and build a network with others across the organisation.

5 Key Takeaways from the Episode

• Acknowledge the impact: A difficult manager can negatively affect your workday and career, and it is okay to recognise this.
• Manage up: Niamh recommends using strategies from Episode 42 to manage your manager, reducing the negative impact of their inexperience or other difficult traits.
• Create a plan: For an unavailable manager, agree on a consistent way to communicate, even a short phone call, to ensure you get the support you need.
• Work on your own skills: If you have a poorly matched manager, you can improve the relationship by developing your ability to collaborate with different personality types.
• Build your network: When dealing with a narcissistic manager, it's vital to document your work and build relationships with other people in the company to help your career progress.

Resources and Related Episodes

Episode 42 - How to Manage Up and Build a Better Relationship with Your Manager

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About the Host and Podcast

Welcome to The Better Workday Podcast with your host, Niamh Moynihan.  Niamh is the founder of Better Workday.  She will challenge you to think differently about how you manage your time, energy, attention and relationships at work to be successful while supporting your well-being.

In each episode, Niamh shares new insights and practical ideas to help you create a better workday.

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