30 Times Employees Stood Up To Their Rude And Entitled Bosses

Workplace expert Lynn stressed that any employee thinking of quitting should think about their future prospects. Sometimes, it's best to hide your anger and put all of your energy into finding a new, better job. However, bullying should never be tolerated and, in cases where the boss is very much acting like a bully, it's best to consult with a lawyer.

"The best way to quit is to think about how you want to be remembered. Every industry in a given city has a relatively small network of good people. We have all heard 'it’s a small world' and the '6 degrees of separation.' As satisfying as it feels to 'put a bad boss in their place' upon departure, leave those fantasies in your mind. You never want to burn your bridges or get a reputation for being a troublemaker. It will get around and hurt your career," she stressed that the worker should think about what is best for them in the long run.

"Your best bet is to thank your boss for the opportunity at the company and limit the number of negative comments you offer. It is unlikely to change behavior in a significant way. Be glad that you’ve decided to take the difficult step of moving on," Lynn said that the reward is moving on with your career.

"Very few people want to engage in lawsuits against a bully boss, for example, unless they feel they it will most certainly be a win. When in doubt, of course, you should always consult an employment attorney. And while the idea can be tempting, you may want to place more of your energy in your next, better job—or career pursuit."

Lynn was kind enough to give us some pointers about how employees should approach communicating with their bosses. "Know your objective. If you’re acting defensively, that won’t move the needle on enhancing your relationship. Think about how you would react as the recipient," she said.

The expert suggested using 'positive bookends' when tackling sensitive conversations. Here's one example of how to approach this: "'I really enjoy my job, but there’s something that set me back a bit recently.' Enter: your beef. Wrap with: 'Thank you so much for taking the time to listen to me… I very much appreciate your efforts in trying to work better together.'"

The author and workplace expert also believes that employees should consider using positive and negative reinforcement, as they would when disciplining a small child. She also suggested using the 'CALM' (communicate, anticipate, levity, manage up) technique which works with difficult bosses and coworkers.

"C—Communicate—often, clearly, concisely… and know how your boss prefers to communicate. A—Anticipate—Anticipate problems before they worsen and try to nip them in the bud. Know your timing when you need to have difficult conversations. L—Levity—A little well-placed humor can tamp down tensions. It can give your boss a better, lighter perspective on the issue at hand. M—Manage up—Be the voice of reason with your boss and be a problem solver. But also, set boundaries. You must be able to speak up for yourself if your work product or mental state is suffering," Lynn explained to Bored Panda.

We were curious about how best to react if a difficult boss demands too much and unloads lots of additional work on employees. The expert stressed that it's important to help the boss see priorities.

"For example, if your supervisor says you need to do A, B, and C by tomorrow, diplomatically explain that it will hurt all projects to get them done the next day because (then explain very briefly what’s involved or the potential negative outcomes). Then explain the positives of an alternative approach, such as, 'If I focus on 'project A' today, we will likely land the Smith account.'"

"As I describe in my book, 'Tame Your Terrible Office Tyrant,' this is similar to telling 'Johnny' he can’t go to the zoo, a play date and for pizza all in the same day, e.g., he will be sad, because he won’t have fun at any of them. 'Which one do you really want to have fun doing, Johnny?'

Lynn explained to us why she thinks it's useful to create analogies between bosses and toddlers, like in her book. "It makes you realize that badly behaving bosses are very much like angry toddlers, especially when are either stressed or frustrated. All mortal beings can act out when we are pushed to the limit. When you know where the boss is coming from, such as the stock plummeting 5% that day, your approach will be more effective," she said.

"You can’t be oblivious to what someone else is going through and behave correctly. You also can’t assume that an angry boss is angry at you, per se. Chances are other people are getting the same treatment. Don’t take it all personally, but never allow anyone to be abusive, ever, to you in the workplace. No bullying should ever be tolerated."

However, Lynn believes that this approach doesn't mean that employees should try to be patronizing. She thinks that this would actually be a career-limiting move. "Just know that human nature is, at its core, no different at five or 55," she told Bored Panda. "Looking at a difficult boss through the lens of a parent can be useful in another way. Humor is a good way to view tough situations more objectively: 'Johnny is having a bad day. And it’s 11:30 AM, so I should not go in there, as he is hungry.' This assumes that the bad behavior is episodic and not a pattern. Nobody should ever tolerate toxic behavior."

She added: "Most bad bosses can be charmers a lot of the time, but then act out unexpectedly, occasionally and seemingly for no reason."

The r/antiwork subreddit is home to nearly 2 million members and focuses on helping people with work-related struggles, as well as sharing advice on life without work.

The sub has been going strong since 2013 but has been incredibly popular during the coronavirus pandemic, as the lockdowns and economic shakeups left lots of people without jobs and inspired others to quit as part of the Great Resignation.

Financial expert Sam Dogen stressed that an important part of office politics entails maintaining good, constant communication with your superiors and managing them. That is, if you want to climb the corporate ladder and get a raise

“Managing your manager entails keeping him or her abreast of what you are up to. It means highlighting your key wins and reminding them at the end of the year about what you did in the first half of the year,” the expert told Bored Panda that we have to constantly remind our managers of ourselves and what we’ve done without overwhelming them with information.

“It is very important to keep everything in writing. Over time, we tend to forget our interactions. By keeping things in writing, we can better remember situations and better argue for ourselves when it comes to asking for a raise and a promotion,” Sam stressed that leaving a paper trail is very important and can help avoid a lot of potential headaches.

According to Eddy Ng, the Smith Professor of Equity and Inclusion at Queen’s University, there are certain traits that can help workers distinguish between a good leader and a bad boss. Strong leaders are humble and always try to do the right thing. Weak leaders are insecure, ego-driven, and change their minds. In short, what can set apart a good, capable boss is that they focus on supporting their employees.

“The notion of servant leadership is gaining attention in the workplace. Although it is associated with many of the strong leadership traits such as empathy, selflessness, and humility, the focus is on the leader’s propensity to serve (or support) their followers. Servant leaders empower and lift up followers (employees) to motivate and fuel their passion,” Professor Ng told Bored Panda.