I definitely would never wish for any one of you to be in a situation where your horrible boss is intolerable. But if you are in such a situation, then this article will definitely help you. And even though it is very easy to just chalk up the entire experience to a rite of passage and then simply getting out of it, there are some really great things that you can learn from having a bad or horrible boss.
After having so many bosses, I can tell you there will be a boss at one point who will make your life miserable. But you can definitely learn something great from them by simply following the tips and ideas that have been enlisted here. Before we move further let us understand what are their characteristics which make them so horrible. So without any delay, let’s just get to it first!
Characteristics of a Horrible Boss:
- A Blame-Shifter
- Angry and treat others wrong
- Arrogance with their ostentatious personality
- Controlling Delegator
- Driven by emotion not on confidence
- Favoritism towards certain employees
- Indecisive in nature
- Micromanage their employees
- No Long term Vision
- Resist Change in the workplace
- Stubborn and think they’re right
- Use fear as a form of management
What You Can Learn From a Horrible Boss?
1. You Learn How To Have A Thick Skin:
This is probably one of the biggest and best lessons that you will ever learn from having a horrible boss. If horrible bosses are needed, they are needed for this one important reason.
Even though it is very natural to take criticism personally but with time you realize how effective they are in improving your personality. Having a thick skin is very important these days and a horrible boss is one person who can surely help you in that way.
So be thankful to your boss for this one thing!
2. You develop resilience:
Everything is worth resilience. Even though your boss gives you enough reason to leave your job, there will be nothing like it if you can handle that like a pro. One of the best things you can ever do in life is to develop resilience and a horrible boss can definitely help you in cases like this.
3. Build better networking skills:
Having good networking skills is highly important and if you want to boost them, make sure you go out and meet more people.
Having a horrible boss obviously means you aren’t very happy in the work environment you already are in. So don’t ever make the mistake of just sitting there and do nothing.
Go out there and meet more people and socialize as much as you can. It will definitely help you when it’s time for you to leave the organization.
We have tried this and it has worked for us and we are sure it will help you as well.
4. You build your adaptability skills:
A horrible boss could mean building better adaptability skills. This is your chance to become a stronger person. So make sure to make good use of it.
When you adapt to both your strengths and weaknesses, you are able to handle situations better.
In fact, the next time you are put in a situation that is pressurizing, you will be able to take good care of it.
5. You automatically become a great listener:
You will become a great listener if you listen to your boss. We understand how hard it is to listen to a boss who is bad but if you really can stick through it, you will become much more patient and a better listener.
And don’t you think that is a great idea? Because at the end of the day, it always pays off when you learn something great out of it. And being a great listener is always a good thing.
So listen to your boss when he is being mean.
6. You will learn how to be calm:
If you have trouble being calm and often get agitated, this will definitely help you. It is very hard to be calm and composed when you are surrounded with people who are the exact opposite.
And having a horrible boss is the worst experience you can ever have. But there is something you can learn out of it, which is learning how to be a calm and composed person.
When your boss shouts at you and you stay quiet, you ultimately make them happy.
7. They motivate you:
Your boss can be your biggest source of motivation if you look at it in that way. If they tell you how incapable you are and that you will never be impressive, don’t be sad and never give up. Look at it as an opportunity to show what you are capable of.
This is a great chance to show your skills. You can definitely change the game and improve your impression in front of the boss.
The best way to motivate yourself is by hearing some negative comments and a horrible boss can really help you in that way.
8. You know how to protect yourself:
Another good thing to learn while working for a horrible boss is how to protect yourself. This is your chance to know how to fly right under the radar as much as you can.
At the same time, you may also know how to play politics. And you will also realize when you will have nobody to watch your back.
One more thing you should remember to do is be nice and cordial to your bosses friends and colleagues. That is also a smart way to get out of the situation and build a good impression of yourself.
9. You begin to become more creative:
A good way to become more creative is by working for a horrible boss. This has worked for others and we bet it will for you as well. You definitely don’t have enough time to ask for help.
So, get some time on your own. Here you can invent and create your own ideas. Isn’t that great? Also, this is your chance to use your skills and show how powerful and talented you are.
10. You begin to learn new ways of reading people and situations:
This is a great chance for you to understand your boss and how his mood works. The good, the bad and the ugly here will all be clear to you after this. Once you know what kind of behaviour they have towards you, you will know how to adjust your behaviour at the same time.
You will also deal with them in a better way during meetings. By going through her books and moods, you have very little chance of stepping on land mines or trigger a tantrum. When you begin to read people better, you have very little chance of step on top of land mines.
It will really help you in the future and you will learn how to work with people in a better way.
11. You know better about having close working relationships:
There are so many times when we form close relationships with people we work with. We go to them and hope to find some sense of help and solace.
Because they share the same experiences just like we do, we end up having those relationships that are long-lasting and follow them for the rest of our lives.
12. Learn good things from your boss:
Your boss might treat you badly but they may also possess some really good qualities and this could be your chance to learn a little from them.
So make sure to observe them a little more carefully and see how good and talented they are in some situations. This will really help and take you a long way.
Having a horrible boss is not your choice but making good use of the situation certainly is. So be more alert when you are around them.
13. You learn how to forgive:
Last but not least, you will learn how to forgive if not anything! And learning how to forgive is definitely a great thing.
Bosses who are rude and mean can definitely hurt our feelings but if we forgive them from the bottom of our hearts and move on from the situation, then there is nothing like it.
Knowing how to forgive is a good thing and once you learn how to do it, you will definitely be a happier person. So try it!
Conclusion:
I am sure all of you can come up with other situations where your boss can be your biggest source of inspiration.
Observing and checking someone else’s mistakes will really help you learn something that is new and out of the box. Plus the macho and tough guys never admit when they are wrong.
They will never be able to learn from their mistakes. Since you surely can, it will be a good advantage that you can use. And with that, we bring the post to an end.
If you have any questions or feedback regarding the post, please feel free to drop a comment below. We would love to hear from you!
