5 Steps for Handling An Unprofessional Manager

5 Steps for Handling An Unprofessional Manager Youre getting that feeling in the pit of your stomach again. You wince, you shake your head. You want to walk out andquit your job. On the spot. Your manager just saidsomething inappropriateagain. Somehow you just know that he (or she) should have more finesse or smarts after all, theyre the boss. Shouldnt they know better?Throughout our careers, we have a chance to haveall kinds of bosses the good, the bad, and the ugly. Were notlage talking about thetruly uglyhere thats for your friendly local employment lawyer to handle. Were talking about your average run-of-the-mill faux pas-ing boss.Seven Signs Your Boss Is Unprofessional1. She overshares.2. She asks you inappropriate details about your personal life.3. She plays favorites.4. She lies.5. She overreacts to small issues.6. She never accepts blame for her mistakes.7. She makes jokes that are in poor taste.How to Cope with an Unprofessional Boss1. Give An InchIf the inappropriateness is a couple of awkward jokes now and then, okay. As long as it isnt 5th-grade bathroom humor or the kind of stuff that shows a lack of respect orreal harassment. But sometimes what we give attention to, grows, so pick your battles if you like your job. Youll get a good barometer reading by checking in with your body. A physical response means Mr. or Ms. Boss may have crossed a line. If you dont have a visceral reaction or a spontaneous recoil, it may be something you can ignore. Once.2. EducateLets say the boss uses a well-known politically incorrect stimmt genau to describe someone. It may behoove you to remind them gently that what they are saying can be used against them in a court of law. But say it with a grain of sugar, as in, You know, that word was thrown out of Websters Dictionary 25 years ago. Today we say XYZ. Their reaction will tell you if theyre trainable, which is good information for future career planning. If you choose education over filing a lawsuit, make sure yo ur delivery isnt too threatening. Yet.3. Draw the LineNow lets say its worse than we thought and they are quickly reaching your personal tipping point of appropriateness. Its time for the HARD CONVERSATION. This is when you draw your line in the sand about what you will and will not allow. Make sure you choose the right time and place and make sure you wont be interrupted. Send an appointment invite to their calendar to fruchtmark the occasion its important that you show your boss the urgency of the situation. Lay it down respectfully but firmly. Let them know unconditionally what you will and will not tolerate. Be crystal clear.4. Document ItYoull know when its time to document that pit in your stomach will grow and send tingles up your spine. Keep a notebook handy and start documenting with dates, exact times, and infraction details. Include any warnings youve given too, and their dates. You may need this if your boss has retaliation on their agenda andgives you a bad reviewfor speaking up.5. Enlist HelpWhether human resource departments can help is debatable. Your best bet is to have plenty of support from family and friends. Take a poll to landsee if any of your peeps have gone through something similar. Youll need their backing to instill confidence, especially before you meet with the boss (see above).S.O.S. Dealing with an Unprofessional BossHopefully, after youve applied these tips in order, your boss will pay more attention to his or her behavior and your work environment will improve as a result. However, if taking these steps doesnt lead to a resolution, it may be time to think about whether this is a work environmentor personyou can tolerate. Sometimes, you just have to move on to a better job. And a better boss.--Donna is a freelance writer with a particular interest in the issues, struggles, loves, and dreams of women. She writes all about it on her blog, alovelyinconsequence.blogspot.com.Fairygodboss is committed to improving the workplace and lives of women. Join us by reviewing your employer