The influence of a toxic boss can extend beyond the workplace: Instead of being your usual self, you feel less and less confident every time you step out of the office.

Your behavior changes and you become more self-critical about everything you do.

Everyone will experience working with a toxic boss at least once in their life. It is so common that it is impossible to completely avoid it.

But that doesn’t mean your life has to be miserable. Just because you work for a bad boss doesn’t mean you have to be influenced by them.

In this article, we discuss methods on how to determine if your boss is harmful, as well as some actionable tips for staying sane throughout your career.

Read on to learn how to neutralize your toxic boss, and when it’s time to transition to a better work environment.

How and why power corrupts people

“Is it me? Is it difficult for me to work with them?” Working with a toxic boss can make you feel shy.

Stepping into the office feels like stepping into the savannah: one slip and your boss’s vulture will swoop back to its lair.

The good news is that the problem is rarely caused by the employee.

A 2017 survey revealed that the most common reason employees leave the workplace is because they don’t like their boss. The survey also found that:

61% of Americans are aware of abusive behavior at work
65% would quit their job to end the bullying
71% of employers’ reactions were found to be harmful (emotionally, physically) to recipients
Dealing with bad bosses is such a common phenomenon in the workplace that its prevalence seems to be a symptom of a fractured work culture in the United States.

However, experts point out that the problem lies in the leadership culture itself, not the organization.

Terrible bosses become toxic because of their reach for power and influence.

This does not mean that all bosses and leaders are doomed to become evil. It’s just that leadership and its benefits can convince individuals that they are exceptions to the rule, including submissive social behaviour.

So why do some bosses take a turn for the worse?

Freedom from justice. Some leaders simply believe that the ends justify their means. Ethicist Terry Price calls this behavior “making exceptions,” in which leaders, particularly political figures, bend the rules according to their whims and define unfairness as expediency.

Power intoxication. Bosses who misbehave and act randomly sometimes do so simply because they can. They are aware of the full extent of their influence, which some might see as invulnerability. This type of leader is vulnerable to abuse, violence, and corruption.

Personal empowerment. Even the noblest leaders will have their own agenda. Stepping back into a position of power gives you access to resources and influence, allowing you to legislate on your principles, regardless of their moral implications.

Power hungry or not, accessing influence, resources, and followers can be overwhelming. When left unchecked, energy can easily turn toxic, creating ripples in a peaceful work environment.

What makes a toxic leader? 5 types of toxic bosses

Power shapes people in different ways. Some individuals will respond to authority by overcompensating and projecting a bigger and better version of themselves, sometimes at the expense of others. Others may choose to use this to manipulate and take their employees for granted.

High chiefs take many forms. Learn the first step to understanding what you’re up against, and how you can neutralize your toxic boss.

manipulator

How they behave: Gaslights employees, acts innocent in times of failure and points fingers at others, uses false pleasantries to encourage employees to do what they want

A manipulator constantly gives you responsibilities that you can’t or don’t want to do.

They can be charismatic and charming, but they are actually using their social skills to deceive their employees into doing things they would rather not be involved in. They coax you into compliance by giving you false compliments or stirring up competition.

Have you ever felt like you can’t say no to your boss? Beware: You may be working with a manipulator.

This boss is a master of gaslighting. In situations where their ideas fail, they blame you and don’t take credit for organizing the effort in the first place.

They make you feel bad for mistakes that aren’t even your own.

You find yourself taking on more responsibilities at your own expense simply because your boss always finds a way to get you to do your bidding.

Time Eater

How they behave: controls time but doesn’t care if they’re late, forces teams to abandon ongoing projects regardless of progress or time spent, expects employees to deliver on time no matter what

Time-consuming people don’t care about your personal or professional time. Are you working on an important project? Put things together, you have to do something else.

Spent months in a new stadium? Scratch that, they “never wanted that idea in the first place”. Do you enjoy a stress-free workplace?

Forget it, you’re jumping into a project five months late with no preparation required.

Time Eaters are so stuck in their heads that they rarely see how their work ethic affects others.

Most eaters also have one goal and will stop at nothing to achieve their vision.

Time-eating managers usually have their own schedule, expect each employee to work on their own time, and react negatively when others fall short.

This does not mean that time-consuming people are the most productive presidents in the world.

Lazy and disorganized individuals can still fall into this category and use their position to show responsibility when they might be quite the opposite.