Plan for handling bad bosses: Treat them like toddlers

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June 16, 2012

In these tough economic times, with the labor market still shaky, employees tend to want to blend into the scenery — hope that if they lay low, they'll avoid being the next to get a pink slip.

"The fear factor has gone up," Taylor said. "So it keeps people feeling as if they need to stay under the radar and keep quiet, when now is a great time to be more communicative, more assured, understand what's really on your boss's plate and be more visible so you can rise up the food chain," she said.

That's right, now is a great time to break out of the pack and try to move up — even if you have a bad boss.

Taylor says one of the best approaches in a tough climate is to be the office diplomat.

"Sandwich negative information between positive — and end on a positive note," she said. "Point to other people in the organization doing great work and don't be afraid to praise the boss for things he or she is doing right," Taylor said. "At the end of the day, we all want to be praised."

It also doesn't hurt to mention the things you love about your job.

And, while it's funny to compare bosses to toddlers when you're standing around the office watercooler or throwing back a few pints at your local watering hole — don't act like a wise guy and actually tell your boss that he or she reminds you of a toddler. That's the fast track to the pink-slip list. You'd have better odds of keeping your job if you came into work drunk or got up on your desk with your own rendition of "Sexy and I Know It."

Finally, while there are a lot of bad bosses out there and yes, they are very much like toddlers — you're not off the hook. You and I are part of the problem.

"Absolutely, you and I are part of the problem," Taylor says. "It takes two to tango. So if you're defensive, if you're not communicating with the boss, if you take things personally" — you're only making a bad situation worse.

Does someone need another time out?