How to work with difficult managers

Some have left jobs due to challenges faced when navigating work life with a difficult manager.

Talent strategist, leadership and HR expert, Anja van Beek says while people resign because of difficult managers, 82% of managers who enter management positions have received no formal management or leadership training, making them “accidental managers”.

Quoting a survey by Djs Research released earlier this year, she says there has been an increase in inexperienced managers, due to them receiving promotions because of internal relationships and profile rather than ability and performance.

“When businesses are not investing in management and leadership development, they set these inexperienced managers up for failure and this negatively impacts the bottom line.”

‘Difficult managers’

Van Beek says difficult managers usually test one’s patience, resilience, and professional sanity. “Instead of letting these types of managers drown your spirit, use this opportunity as a learning experience and practice your skill of speaking up.”

She advises employees to have an understanding that the best they can do is to control what is within their reach. “You cannot control your manager’s behaviour; you can control how you respond to the behaviour and how long it takes to have a conversation about this issue,” adds Van Beek.

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‘Accidental managers’

She says inexperienced managers might not understand the correlation between their behaviour and the impact on company culture and the team’s productivity. She is of the view that if businesses do not invest in management and leadership development, it leads to these ‘accidental managers’ being set up for failure and negatively impacting the bottom line.

“There is a strong link between managers exposed to leadership development and effective businesses,” she says. It is important for mangers to be emotionally mature, comfortable with change, and who can give and receive feedback.

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Learning from the negative

She advises employees to have a growth mindset, which will eventually lead the individual to thrive in any challenge. “Having a growth mindset is necessary for your career success and when you develop this mindset, it will ultimately help you succeed in any challenge that comes your way.”

What she means by using your time with a difficult manager as a learning tool is to absorb what not to do when you get to a managerial or leadership role.

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Tips on how to handle difficult managers:

• The vague manager – this is the type of manager who gives feedback that is not clearly stated, described, or explained. Therefore, to counter this behaviour, establish regular check-ins and create a shared document outlining your goals, what success would look like and the agreed timelines.
• The maverick manager – this is the type of manager that aims for regular drastic changes. She says if you are dealing with this type of boss, you should provide insights into how team members can contribute to the envisioned transformation. “Use collective thinking to find a workable solution as collaborative solutions result in reduced resistance and increased buy-in.”
• The micro-manager – this is the type of manager who insists on being part of every step of a task. To handle this manager, you should agree and provide specific details for check-in and update meetings. “Be specific on the areas where you seek feedback; this way, you guide the manager’s involvement and prevent it from becoming overwhelming.”
• The critique manager – this type of manager usually gives criticism to a sarcastic manager. It would be best to confront sarcasm by having a conversation about the impact of this behaviour on results. “Have the courage to discuss the impact of their remarks (and lack of candidness) on the team’s morale and your deliverables.”
• The rookie manager – this is the type of manager who is less experienced. She advises employees to take a mentorship role and this will possibly strengthen one’s working relationship. “Reverse mentoring is a trend we see more and more in the workplace and can be anything from explaining intricacies of the office to a fresh perspective on challenges.”