Office Survival 101: 5 Ways to Deal with a Moody Boss

Your boss is Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde in the flesh, and your reaction to the Mr. Hyde side depends on the day. You get upset if it's a Monday, as you want a great start to a working week. You get annoyed and anxious on a Tuesday, wondering why the (working) week won't conclude too soon. You show your stoic expression on a Wednesday, as you remind yourself that it's the middle of the (working) week. The bemused expression on your face suggests that it's a Thursday. And you feign on your lack of awareness. You've been planning your weekend. This pattern can disrupt your (working) rhythm, even sap off your enthusiasm. There's another way of dealing with it.

If you see a future in the office, then you can handle this minor problem sooner than you expect. Your creative side comes to the fore when you realize that you love your job.

Opportunities in Disguise: How to Deal with This Kind of Pressure

Try stoicism. This might confuse you. You have seen the trailer of "The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part", which you fancy in an instant. You can relate to Emmet Brickowski, who has a sunny disposition. Nothing is too negative to you, so you don't see any reason why you can't smile at your workmates. They might interpret it differently. It can put you into trouble. Keep in mind that stoicism doesn't lead to gloominess. You must deal with the long nights, but there are many things to look forward (after working hours).

Mind your own business. If your boss is displaying his (or her) Mr. Hyde side too often, then ignore it. Nothing can happen to you unless you become upset about it. There's another way of looking at it, though. Telling your boss about it can be a risky move, but do it after observing your colleagues. If you see that you're not the only one (who notices it), then tell your boss about it in a polite manner. Keep it short, as prolonging it might lead you to patronize your boss. Another sign of trouble.

Lead the way. You don't need to be the boss to influence the others. All you need is calmness, which should help you finish the tasks for the day (or week). There's no need to remind the others, as they would notice it sooner or later. This may be easier said than done, but the situation can get stressful if you act differently. No one wants a negative energy in the office.

Pressure is a privilege. The situation should make you realize that feeling happy requires lots of effort. It can pressure you, which may affect you during certain moments of the day, if not the week. Embrace it. This may be hard to understand, but try to feign happiness at first. If you keep on doing it, then there would come a point when it becomes natural. And you wouldn't be aware of it until one of your colleagues notices it.

Accept the things you can't change. Your boss may take it longer to comprehend what he (or she) is doing and how it affects everyone in the office. You can't tell him (or her) about it after you wear out your patience. There's no need to try harder to understand the scenario. It would be better to keep it to yourself (and finish your tasks as soon as possible). If you have two or three hours left (and you have nothing else to doss), then plan ahead. If it can’t be done within the day, then make sure that it would be your first priority the following day. If this is a collaboration, then tell the one(s) involved in it about it.

When All Else Fails

When all of the above doesn’t work out at all, then you must ask yourself if you’re also part of the problem. Does your boss dislike you? It takes a day or two to figure it out. Try to be more observant than ever. Don’t ever ask your colleague(s) about it, as perception varies from one employee to another.

There’s no need to press the panic button at this point, as the situation doesn’t fall under organization change, office politics (gone worse) or mismanagement. If your workmates have noticed what you have seen (in one or more occasions), then you can invite them for a coffee break. (Going out for dinner is another option. Don’t ever think of lunch break especially if there are pending tasks.) Something might come out of the conversation. One of you might approach your boss and tell him (or her) about it.

You can classify it as a minor problem, but it can snowball if not handle properly. This must not go on for weeks, if not months. Anything that is left unchecked (or untreated) can have a serious effect on the workplace. It can affect you, and you may not notice it at first. Apathy is not the solution.