Bosses are like a box of chocolate, you never know which one you’re gonna get. Some bosses are like a dream come true – caring, intelligent, morale-boosting, confident, and many other positive attributes we appreciate and hope for in a leader. Others, on the flip side, can be disrespectful, arrogant, unfair, uncompassionate, and even downright mean. All the personality traits that make a boss a pain in the you-know-what.

If you have a boss you simply can’t tolerate or want to prepare for the chance that you may one day be burdened with one, here are 3 ways to deal with a boss you can’t stand. It’s all about how you handle things to make your work life satisfactory.

1. Communicate

Walking around the office huffing and puffing or wishing your boss’s bad behavior away will only make you more aggravated and will become contagious, giving co-workers a negative vibe. Bosses are people too, and just like you may take a friend aside when there’s an issue on your mind, you can request to talk to your boss one-on-one to discuss what’s bothering you.

As per Salary, “Schedule a meeting with your boss and bring your list of grievances with you. In the most professional (read: non-accusatory) way possible, refresh your boss’ brain about each incident and how it negatively affected you.”

Your boss may very well appreciate the open honesty and may not have even known that their actions and words were upsetting or causing a problem. AsForbes notes, “When you approach them with respect and with a genuine desire to make things work better, you can open the door to whole new levels of trust, collaboration and outcomes. A door that will remain permanently closed otherwise.”

That said, if the issues run deeper, it may be time to take the matter to human resources. According to Money & Career Cheat Sheet, “An annoying or incompetent boss is one thing, but some managers really do cross the line. If your boss sexually harasses employees, is abusive, is discriminating against you, breaks the law, or engages in other unacceptable behavior, it’s time to talk to HR.”

2. See it From Their Side

Bosses have a lot on their plate and sometimes their own burdens, stress levels, and pressures can trickle down to affecting the employees. As Money & Career Cheat Sheet suggests, “Getting frustrated with your boss is easy, but before you rush to judge, try to look at things from his perspective. There’s a lot about their job that you don’t know about or see, so don’t assume that they’re out to get you.”

Salary adds, “He may be micromanaging you, but that might stem from his own boss breathing down his neck. By having some sympathy for your boss and all the pressure that he is under to perform, you may be able to tolerate his tics better.”

3. Focus on the Positive

There’s got to be something going for this man or woman that has propelled them to the position they’re in today. It can’t all be terrible, right? While it’s easy to get all-consumed with what’s wrong, taking time to hone in on the good may help you better tolerate and appreciate your boss and let the small stuff roll off your back in times of dismay.

Your boss may have a great sense of humor, lets you leave early for the kids’ soccer games, or runs meetings really effectively. When things are rough, think about the qualities that make your boss special and likeable.

One way to steer towards the positive side is to understand their motivation. As perLifeHack, “If you can find a way to help him with his objectives then maybe you can work around his faults. A good rule at work is to help your boss to succeed – whether you like him or not. Other people will see you do this and it works to your credit – especially if they know that your boss is difficult.”

Finding a mentor other than your boss can also aid in better understanding your boss’s perspective and behaviors while helping you develop better business skills and interpersonal relationships in your career. Lifehacker notes, “A mentor, even a manager in another department, can often help you understand your boss’s pressures and challenges in a non-threatening way. The whole point of having a mentor is to help you learn, grow, and develop your skills—which include working with difficult people.”

We may be able to choose the career we want, but the boss we get stuck with may not always be what we signed up for. Use these tips to navigate your way towards tolerance and a determination to succeed no matter the challenges (people included) placed in your path.

string(6016) "
Bosses are like a box of chocolate, you never know which one you're gonna get. Some bosses are like a dream come true – caring, intelligent, morale-boosting, confident, and many other positive attributes we appreciate and hope for in a leader. Others, on the flip side, can be disrespectful, arrogant, unfair, uncompassionate, and even downright mean. All the personality traits that make a boss a pain in the you-know-what.
If you have a boss you simply can't tolerate or want to prepare for the chance that you may one day be burdened with one, here are 3 ways to deal with a boss you can't stand. It's all about how you handle things to make your work life satisfactory.
1. Communicate
Walking around the office huffing and puffing or wishing your boss's bad behavior away will only make you more aggravated and will become contagious, giving co-workers a negative vibe. Bosses are people too, and just like you may take a friend aside when there's an issue on your mind, you can request to talk to your boss one-on-one to discuss what's bothering you.
As per Salary, "Schedule a meeting with your boss and bring your list of grievances with you. In the most professional (read: non-accusatory) way possible, refresh your boss' brain about each incident and how it negatively affected you."
Your boss may very well appreciate the open honesty and may not have even known that their actions and words were upsetting or causing a problem. AsForbes notes, "When you approach them with respect and with a genuine desire to make things work better, you can open the door to whole new levels of trust, collaboration and outcomes. A door that will remain permanently closed otherwise."
That said, if the issues run deeper, it may be time to take the matter to human resources. According to Money & Career Cheat Sheet, "An annoying or incompetent boss is one thing, but some managers really do cross the line. If your boss sexually harasses employees, is abusive, is discriminating against you, breaks the law, or engages in other unacceptable behavior, it's time to talk to HR."
2. See it From Their Side
Bosses have a lot on their plate and sometimes their own burdens, stress levels, and pressures can trickle down to affecting the employees. As Money & Career Cheat Sheet suggests, "Getting frustrated with your boss is easy, but before you rush to judge, try to look at things from his perspective. There's a lot about their job that you don't know about or see, so don't assume that they're out to get you."
Salary adds, "He may be micromanaging you, but that might stem from his own boss breathing down his neck. By having some sympathy for your boss and all the pressure that he is under to perform, you may be able to tolerate his tics better."
3. Focus on the Positive
There's got to be something going for this man or woman that has propelled them to the position they're in today. It can't all be terrible, right? While it's easy to get all-consumed with what's wrong, taking time to hone in on the good may help you better tolerate and appreciate your boss and let the small stuff roll off your back in times of dismay.
Your boss may have a great sense of humor, lets you leave early for the kids' soccer games, or runs meetings really effectively. When things are rough, think about the qualities that make your boss special and likeable.
One way to steer towards the positive side is to understand their motivation. As perLifeHack, "If you can find a way to help him with his objectives then maybe you can work around his faults. A good rule at work is to help your boss to succeed – whether you like him or not. Other people will see you do this and it works to your credit – especially if they know that your boss is difficult."
Finding a mentor other than your boss can also aid in better understanding your boss's perspective and behaviors while helping you develop better business skills and interpersonal relationships in your career. Lifehacker notes, "A mentor, even a manager in another department, can often help you understand your boss's pressures and challenges in a non-threatening way. The whole point of having a mentor is to help you learn, grow, and develop your skills—which include working with difficult people."
We may be able to choose the career we want, but the boss we get stuck with may not always be what we signed up for. Use these tips to navigate your way towards tolerance and a determination to succeed no matter the challenges (people included) placed in your path. 
"

Now that she’s the fifth billionaire musician Updated: Dec 31st 2025 As of December 2025, Beyoncé’s official net worth is an estimated $1 billion, making her a rare musician to reach billionaire status. Forbes recently confirmed this milestone, noting that the combination of touring revenue, music catalog earnings, brand partnerships, and her business ventures pushed

By Massimo Tornambe Updated: November 26th, 2025 Scott Disick has spent much of 2025 rethinking his living situation, especially after briefly considering a move to New York with his eldest son, Mason. In a November episode of The Kardashians, Scott said Mason told him he “can’t actually move,” which led Scott to reverse course and

Update: November 7th, 2025 TL;DR TikTok’s favourite tradwife just had another baby, moved into a new house, and reignited the Internet’s gender-war discourse — again. Here’s what’s new with Nara Smith, why the “tradwife” trend still won’t die, and what it really says about 2025’s obsession with curated domesticity. The Tradwife Era Isn’t Over —

Mention the word “infidelity” and the usual images are conjured up:  secret encounters in sordid motels, callers who hang up when the wrong person answers the phone, tears and harsh words when the truth comes out. A less dramatic (but increasingly common) form of betrayal is making waves: financial infidelity. What is financial infidelity? Financial

You Lose $20K Each Year Just For Being a Mom You may not know this, but there was a time when smoking was considered “liberated” behavior for women. There was a cigarette company Virginia Slims that was created specifically to attract female smokers during the bad old 1970s. The slogan was “You’ve come a long

TL;DR: One of the biggest money red flags in dating? When your partner simply won’t talk about money. According to financial therapist Erika Wasserman, that’s the #1 issue to nail down if you want to know whether your potential future partner and your financial IQs are compatible. Why “Not Talking Money” Is More Than Awkward

This article includes affiliate links. We may earn a commission if you make a purchase, with no extra cost to you. Growing up, most of us didn’t get a solid financial education. Some of us ended up figuring things out the hard way — juggling bills, credit card debt, or realizing too late we should’ve

Even if you don’t know the first thing about collectables, you know Funko POPs. Funko Everyone does. They’re absolutely everywhere, from comic book shops to big box stores to movie theater concession stands. Many people think Funko POPs are cute, with their big black eyes and uniform features. Others think they’re creepy for pretty much

Trying to cancel your gym membership can be more tiring than actually attending that kickboxing class you keep skipping. Getting out of your gym contract can be so tough that people are going to great lengths to avoid paying any penalties. After going into debt living a lifestyle she couldn’t afford, this woman forged fake

The Momager May Be Worth More Than You Think… Kris Jenner is a pop culture icon for many reasons. While you may have watched her meteoric rise to fame on Keeping Up with the Kardashians — which originally debuted on E! — she’s actually been a fascinating figure in the public eye for ages.  As