Posted by denised in A recent wikihow article outlines 20 steps to defending yourself against a bad boss. A large part of their list deals with documenting everything. We agree. Getting everything in writing, from your job description and expectations, to changes in responsibilities, might not prevent bad boss behavior, but it could help protect you down the road. Step 17 suggests keeping your resume updated and beginning a job search. There’s nothing worse than waiting out a bad boss only to get the boot before he does. Take it from me, the shock alone could set your job search back for weeks. We’re also big fans of step 13 – not involving colleagues in an ongoing issue. As loyal as your cubicle buddy has been, don’t be so sure he’d have your back if it came down to choosing between loyalty to you and keeping his job. In fact, assume he won’t.
Step 14 says not to ask Human Resources to intervene. That suggestion is not going to make competent HR professionals very happy, but based on personal experience and feedback from our readers, we think the article makes a valid point when it says HR often supports management. Mary was notorious for that. When she wasn’t too busy planning potlucks or buying gifts for male subordinates, she was climbing comfortably into upper management’s back pocket. What are your thoughts on taking management issues to HR? Waste of time, or worth it? Tell us in the comment section after the jump.
