There are some bosses who are tough but intelligent, and others who are sweet but dumb. However, there is a special and unique category of those who are tough and dumb, and make you question the validity of human evolution.
And I’ve had the misfortune of working with one such boss in the past!
Though the time spent working with said boss lead me to research ‘bipolar’ and ‘perils of capital punishment’ on a regular basis, I did walk away from the experience with some valuable life lessons tucked under my belt!
Here are 10 amazing things only a really, truly, horribly bad boss can teach you:
1. The Art of Patience
It is not a delayed food order or a stalled flight that teaches you patience but the constantly changing thoughts of a boss that is never happy instead!
If the presentation, print-out or pattern that you spent hours perfecting is replaced because the same hours were spent by your boss in changing ideas, then patience helps much more than curse words. Though the latter can be very satisfying too!
2. Becoming Resourceful
When every valid question is responded with “why would you ask me something so basic?”, then you soon learn to pledge your eternal love and devotion to Google Search and the kindred souls who offer help on the side.
What also happens is you soon become the office knowledge-mine, who has the coveted contact list that everyone reaches out to for any help!
3. Time Management
If you have never read 5 open tabs simultaneously, while eating lunch at your desk and giving print commands, than have you really multi-tasked at all?
Delivering the most complex items in the shortest time possible will enable you to learn every MS Office shortcut there could be. It will also teach you to make quick decision and be much more efficient.
4. Increased Intelligence
Working with clueless bosses easily translates into learning more information than you even did at the time of college finals (Thank God for people who teach 15 minutes before the exam!).
The positive side is that it allows you to spot the bullshit that your boss spouts a mile away, and helps the client realize who actually manages the work!
5. Increased Stamina
If you think 8 hours of sleep is important for a person, let your boss from hell dispel any such notion! From calls at 1 in the night to setting up early meetings, this boss will never focus on your comfort.
However, you will soon love to manage on less sleep and more coffee and realize that you are, in fact, made of stronger stuff (called caffeine).
6. Becoming Confident
Through the whole ordeal the one thing that happens slowly is the confidence you build! When the client actually starts getting your name right, you slowly realize that you are going about things the right way.
It may not be the easiest way to build confidence, but it is definitely the surest, provided you stick through!
7. Firm Friendships
The friends who join in your bitching sessions even when they belong to different offices, or the friends who agree to the eighth meet-up scene, when you cancelled on the last 7 at the last minute, are your friends for life.
8. Being Positive
Maintaining a sunny smile and positive outlook can be really difficult when you’re working with a difficult boss. Feedback sessions can become extremely disheartening, and thus it is important to stay positive.
So if you can joke about your situation, and smile through the nth change in the pitch presentation, you have the requisite arsenal to deal with different curveballs that come your way!
9. Standing Up For Yourself.
It is imperative to know that being polite and hardworking does not translate to becoming a slave. Working with a boss that constantly leaves you frustrated will also help you learn boundaries.
You will learn to separate your thoughts from your feelings, and manage situations where your limits are crossed. After all it is one thing to be nice, another to be a doormat.
10. Love For The Job.
It is easy to work when you’ve got fun colleagues and easy going bosses. However, it is only when you work with a difficult boss, that your realize whether you actually like the work you are doing or not.
While all us hope for bosses that take us out for Friday-night drinks and leave our weekends be, we can just as easily end up with one that makes us foot the Friday bill and expects us to work 8 days in a 7-day week.
The point to remember is, there is a silver lining in the grumpy grey cloud you’re stuck with.
Have a good week at work. And if your boss tries to ruin it, take it all with a pinch of salt, as always!
All GIFs sourced from giphy.com.
