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My last boss was evil.  At least, in my eyes she was. I never knew what mood she would be in or what to expect when she came into the office. It got to the point where a strong childlike feeling of fear would run through my body when I saw her image coming closer to the door. No one should hate being in the presence of their boss.  Eventually, there was a huge blowout between the two of us and needless to say cooler heads did not prevail. Through that experience I learned the hard way a few tricks to deal with a boss that is less than kind.  In this economy no one can afford to lose their job over personality differences.

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Try to be nice to them, they look like the fools

Like the quote goes, never argue with a fool because people who are looking cannot tell the difference and assume you both are fools. You don’t have to kiss anyone’s ass but if your boss is being nasty to your then resist the urge to be even nastier back to her.  She is the one that will look like a bully to those around her.  Arguing back with her may make her attacks validated.

Keep your distance

This may not be easy at all times but if you know that you and your boss generally do not get along well with each other, stay out of their way as much as possible. Limit your interactions with your boss.  Give them a simple Good Morning etc and leave it at that.

Ignore them

Easier said than done sometimes but ignore your boss.  Of course, you should not act as if they do not exist and look at them strangely when they are speaking to them. Rather, ignore their attempts at aggravating you. Remember you are there to collect a check. Not to make best friends.

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Get out during lunch.

Take a walk during your lunch, go out to eat, do something so that you are away from your job during your lunch. Take this time to regroup your thoughts and relax your mind and your temper.

Phone someone with a cooler head.

I would often call my boy friend or best friend during my breaks because they were an “escape” of sorts from my boss’s over bearing personality. They refreshed me and boosted me with energy.

Get cool with someone of higher authority than them.

This may seem kind of sneaky and underhanded but it’s not. It is just survival in a tense situation. Find a boss to grow a friendship with. Perhaps find someone that outranks your current boss. This person might be the one that will defends you against the boss that sometimes dislikes you.

Sidenote: There is a big difference between a boss that is a crank and a boss that is harassing you and crossing the lines of respect. No one should have to be abused in any way. If you feel that you are being abused in any way by your boss then talk to your human resources immediately

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