You worked hard to land this job. The interviews went great. The job offer came through. And now? You’ve got a boss who makes every day feel like an episode of Survivor.

To put it mildly, having a difficult boss is utterly frustrating. The better news? You can handle this! Learn how to deal with a difficult boss professionally, so you can protect your sanity and keep your career moving forward.

First, Understand What You’re Dealing With

Let’s call it like it is: some bosses just aren’t great. They lack interpersonal and managerial skills and thus struggle to convey their expectations effectively. Others? They may be downright toxic. The fastest way to figure out which one you’ve got is to listen closely. 

Here are some things toxic bosses say:

• “You should be grateful we hired you”
• “No one wants your opinion on this”
• “That’s way above your pay grade”
• “I don’t have time to explain — just figure it out”
• “Why don’t you act more like [favorite employee name]”
• “If you don’t like it here, there are plenty of people who’d take your job” 

If any of these “catch phrases”,  you’re likely dealing with an insecure, manipulative, or just plain bad manager, just like over half of American employees.…

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