Bad Boss

“I’m thinking of quitting because of my boss. She’s making my life a misery!”

We’ve all been there. We’ll likely be there again. 

But before we do anything rash, let’s slow down. 

Is she making you miserable, or do you have any say in the matter?

Is she making you miserable, or is it even about you at all? 

Is the boss really making you miserable, or are there other feelings at play?

When we’re feeling low about a relationship it feels like it’s because of the other person. We forget that our feelings come from us, only us, never someone else.

We cherish work challenges – the very things that help us showcase what we can do. Yet it’s easy to forget that relationships are the work.

When a relationship turns sour, our ‘fast-brain’ zings to the rescue by pointing the finger of blame squarely at the other person. In such haste, it’s easy to miss the opportunities that may hiding in plain sight.

We might overlook that some days feel less miserable than others. Maybe some moments aren’t miserable at all. Possibly there’s something about the experience that - if we embraced it - could be just the accelerator our career needs.

I once very nearly quit because of a bad boss. It was a very tough experience. But today, I look back on it differently. My “bad boss” story was true as far as it went. But it was exactly that – a story, and an incomplete one. 

The fuller version would admit that a) this was simply a career challenge I was simply not equipped to meet, and b) it ended up being the making of me as a leader myself.

If you’re thinking of quitting because of a boss, I invite you to slow down a moment. There's a conversation to be had. You can do this. Your future self might just thank you for it.