Tip of the week: How to tame a control-freak boss

Establish a rapport; Make sure you’re on the same page; Flatter lightly

Establish a rapport. “Overtly confronting a controller boss is risky.” If you value your job, build a relationship before discussing thorny topics. Demanding bosses reward loyalty, so “accept your role as the reliable soldier and demonstrate support.” Use the connection you build to study the boss’s “willingness to receive feedback.”

Make sure you’re on the same page. Control freaks “often give vague or incomplete instructions,” so it’s up to you to “clearly define goals and time frames up front” to avoid being reprimanded later. Controller bosses expect results, so deliver on time and exceed expectations.

The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE
https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/flexiimages/jacafc5zvs1692883516.jpg

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

Join more than 350,000 subscribers and keep yourself informed with a selection of The Week’s most interesting, enlightening and entertaining stories - plus daily puzzles.

Join more than 350,000 subscribers and keep yourself informed with a selection of The Week’s most interesting, enlightening and entertaining stories - plus daily puzzles.

Sign up
Latest Videos FromThe Week