I love my job, but I hate my petty and jealous boss

If your manager is relentless in trafficking misery and the situation altogether festers, consider voting with your feet.

Q. I love my job, but I hate the manager. She is jealous, petty and hyperpolitical. One of my colleagues quit last month and the other two who report directly to her are working on their way out. I am not prepared to leave yet. How do I manage my relationship with her so that I can stay here longer?

It is positive that you have a job you value and desire to retain. Several works of research have suggested that although financial rewards no doubt matter, employees place far greater value on how they experience their work.

Elements that employees pine for may include, among others, feeling valued and respected, the prospect of growth, and psychological safety in the organisation.

With the central role they play in affecting overall experience at work, supervisors are a critical factor in driving employee engagement and retention.

Managers who fit the vexatious description you have given introduce undue anxiety and exasperation to their teams. The social environment they create breeds dispirited employees who make little contribution or otherwise leave the organisation.

Although unwelcome behaviour on the part of others may ignite in us negative passions, there is always opportunity to deliberately choose one’s response.
You have the chance to remain aligned with your values regardless of how others behave or treat you, bearing in mind that there are no supervisors without shortcomings.

You could decide to set a contrasting example to others in the way you hold yourself together and thrive under difficult circumstances, a quality that often distinguishes winners.

Treat your manager with respect, even when you disagree with her manner or actions. You could also speak to your HR colleagues and raise the matter for their attention as they have a key role to play in invigilating and influencing the culture of the organisation.

Have you attempted to build a working rapport with your manager? Chances of successfully raising the matter directly with her increase with the quality of your relationship with her.

If, however, your manager is relentless in trafficking misery and the situation altogether festers, consider voting with your feet.