Managing Up: How to Handle an Unpredictable Boss
About the episode
KEY TAKEAWAYS
- Making inappropriate or misogynistic comments in the workplace is definitely classed as bullying and harassment even if they are not directed at you.
- Unpredictable behavior creates an emotional disturbance called hypervigilance where you are always on edge because you do not know what to predict.
- Millennials often have people-pleasing tendencies but must overcome them to tell a trusted stakeholder on the same peer level about the comments.
- Send an email to confirm what you are going to do before you do it to create clarity and control what you can control.
Timestamps:
01:00 — The listener's dilemma: the "great guy" with the off-color comments
02:35 — Why this behavior is bullying and harassment even when it's not aimed at you
04:17 — The power dynamic at play (and why millennials stay quiet)
04:50 — How to speak up: scripts for shutting down inappropriate comments
06:38 — The golden rule: document everything
07:28 — How to manage his inconsistent decisions (get clarity in writing)
08:58 — What's actually in your control (and what's not)
09:17 — The recap: protect yourself, don't manage his moods
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I'm Hannah
Executive Coach, columnist, podcaster, and speaker.
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