How to Deal With an Angry Boss - The Muse

How to Deal With an Angry Boss - The MuseHow to Deal With an Angry Boss Bosses can be volatile. One minute, theyre bragging about their kollektivs accomplishments to the executive team the next, theyre fuming that a project hasnt been completed. To some extent, thats expected- managers do have pressure-filled jobs, after all.But there are also bosses whose bad moods come out of nowhere- when on any day, in any instant, and with no warning, his or her mood can turn from pleasant to unbearably foul. And of course, your manager takes it out on everyone around him or her. Including you.No matter your boss mood, your work has to continue- ideally without ruining your entire workday. So how can you remain unaffected by your managers bad moods?Ive been there, and Ill tell you its not easy- but it can be done. Heres how.Dont Feed Off of ItWhen your boss is making his or her rounds of the floor, announcing how nothings going right, deadlines are being missed, goals wont be met, and no ones on track to deliver an important project on time, its likely that the rest of the team will take that cue to departure thinking the same way. Weve all seen it When the boss is happy, the teams happy- and when the boss is down, the team is down. But its vital to remind yourself that just because your boss is in a bad mood, you dont have to follow suit. How do you resist? Start by keeping things in perspective. Is your boss in a terrible mood because a project is off track? If youre not involved in that particular assignment, you dont need to let yourself be affected. If you are part of that project, make sure your manager knows youre on top of your portion. Often, your projects and priorities arent the same as those of your manager- so dont assume that whats causing the bad mood for your boss should influence your day, too.Do Look for TriggersPay close attention to your boss thunderous moods, and see if you can detect a pattern. For example, is your boss mora likely to get extra agitat ed the morning before his weekly executive report is due? Or after lunch on Thursday, when shes cramming to get her work done before she has to leave right at 5 PM for her kids ballet class? Or maybe its a daily routine that starts first thing in the morning and lasts until he hits his third cup of coffee.Whatever it is, if you can pinpoint the times and triggers that makes your boss more likely to take out his or her emotions on the team, you can either address them if possible (think Hey John, I thought Id turn in my portion of the weekly report early so you can get a head start on it), or if out of your control, keep your distance until it passes. Which brings us toDo Avoid When PossibleEspecially when you know your boss triggers- but even if you dont- its fully OK to avoid your boss when necessary (and possible). And, sure, its certainly not always possible. You may have an unavoidable meeting scheduled or an urgent question that needs to be answered face-to-face.But if you dont , know that its OK to email a question instead of braving your managers office, hold a minor update until the mood has passed, or put your headphones in to block out some of the negativity.It may not be a foolproof solution (bosses do seem to pull Office Space-style cubicle drive-bys quite often), but its a small step you can take to avoid the fallout.Dont Assume it Has Anything to Do With YouWhen you find yourself in your boss line of fire, its easy to assume that something you did must be fueling that terrible temper. Just remember Bosses have shortcomings, too. Your boss may not have the best time management skills. He may put big projects off until the last possible second, making it nearly impossible for him to produce the needed assignment on time. Or maybe she has personal problems going on in her home life, and shes letting them impact her performance (and mood) at the office. Whatever the situation, unless youve knowingly done something that could be the source of your boss foul mood, its OK to assume that it hasnt stemmed from anything youve done. Its tough, but try not to take it personally. Do (if Youre Desperate) Address it CalmlyIf your boss moods are impacting you significantly and youre ready to confront your boss about a specific situation, do it with a calm and neutral attitude. For example, if your boss is fuming about a big project that isnt going as planned, ask, I can see youre frustrated. Is there anything I can do to help? Or if he rolls his eyes and gives a sarcastic chuckle at a suggestion you present, say, That suggestion seemed to annoy you. What do you think would be the best way to approach it?Your boss may not realize thats how hes coming across- but by pointing it out in a gentle, composed way (without an emotional charge), you may make him realize hes not communicating effectively. You cant control your boss moods- but you can control the way you react to them. My advice? Steel yourself, keep things in perspective, and carry on .Photo of person with umbrella courtesy of Shutterstock.