I need to ask Jane but I’ll wait to see what kind of mood she is in today.
I’m never sure if Jane is going to compliment me or berate me.
I really want a day off but I depending on Jane’s mood she’ll either say have a nice day or try to make me feel bad about it.
*Name has been changed
The emotional rollercoaster of my boss was exhausting.
I knew that this was her issue but I couldn’t help but take her moods personally. I felt like I was amazing and the best employee ever but then the next hour I was worried I was going to lose my job. Does this sound familiar to you? Here are some things I did to deal with my boss’s constant mood swings.
- I made every effort I could to make sure I took all of the nice things she said personally. I journal each night and I would always be sure to include the nice things she said about me. She could be really nice and appreciative.
- This one may not be respectful, but I pictured her like a toddler. I compared her yelling and tantrums as I would a 3-year-old. I imagined her slamming her hands on the ground and kicking her feet. I used to think she was so powerful but imagining her yelling as a little kid took that power away. She was no longer a tyrant, she was just immature.
- I started to look for the hidden meaning when she was upset. Here’s what I realized. She lashed out when she was scared. If our department was being questioned then she would get nervous she’d get in trouble for making a mistake. She had a lot of pressure on her. That is no excuse, but I was able to show more empathy while she was yelling.
Tell us about your moodiest boss. How did you deal? Do you have any tips to share on how you’ve handled someone moody?
