femalenetwork.com

Even the best of bosses may be prone to erratic behavior. “Bosses are human, too,” says Nan DeMars, author of You Want Me to Do What? (Fireside Books, 1998). “They have professional and personal pressures you may not know about.” Below is a list of common bad-mood boss moments and how to handle them like a pro:

Morning maniac: At 9 a.m., your boss comes storming past you and slams the door to her office.

Rotten reaction: Scurry after her, asking “What’s the matter? Did I do something wrong?”

Smart strategy: Stay put. Divert all corners, and don’t bug her with minor matters. Enter only if she calls you.

New best bud: Your supervisor is only a few years older than you and she acts more buddy than boss.

Rotten reaction: Acting too familiar (like telling her how wasted you were last night).

Smart strategy: Be nice. Remember, she’s still your boss. So keep those after-hours details in check.

Snapdragon: You hand your boss the rush proposal, and she snatches it and snaps, “It’s about time!”

Rotten reaction: Yell, “It’s not my fault it’s late.”

Smart strategy: If it’s a one-time thing, suck it up and walk away. But if she screams at you regularly, talk to her about it or consider quitting. A power-keg boss makes for an unhealthy work environment, and you shouldn’t have to deal with that.

Sticky Situation
Q: I just got promoted and now I supervise two close friends. How can I keep their friendship?

A: “You can’t control your friend’s emotions, but you can control how you handle your new role,” says Joan Steinam Lester, Ph.D., author of Taking Charge: Every Woman’s Action Guide to Personal, Political and Personal Success (Conari Press, 1996). If they’re envious or uncomfortable, acknowledge that it’s an awkward situation and listen to their concerns. Tell them you’ll take care to treat them professionally and that you’re still the same person. So while you can’t, for example, reveal work-related secrets to your friends, you hope you can keep swapping gossip about your love lives. Then give them time to adjust to your new authority. Hopefully you can continue being friends with only a few awkward moments.