Leaders are supposed to be there for you.

They are supposed to be rational, responsible, and respectful.

Whether these qualities are present, or not, it’s important to make the most out of the situation.

No matter how bad their behavior is, try to avoid it. Try to let it not affect your work.

“A bad system can destroy good people” Gary Mottershead.

Now, sometimes the answer to the problem is to find a new job. When working under weak or non-existent leadership, the culture might be too detrimental that it’s best to find something better.

If this is the case, do your research. Learn a bit about the company to make sure you are not walking into another situation with a less-than-ideal manager.

For others, you like your job. It’s just the boss that’s ruining everything. Rather than working against them, work around them.

Too much time around someone and you start to take note of their behavior. You start to learn what triggers them. Maybe that means arriving early because they don’t like when people are late. Maybe that means double checking your notes because they don’t like when things are misspelled.

Anticipate their requests. Micromanagers typically want to check in on everything. If that is the case, having things readily available and done ahead of time might minimize their urge to remind you of things.

Every situation is different. That’s because every leader is different.

I just hope that you take care of yourself. That you moderate the amount of negativity, stressors, and anxiety in your life. Create boundaries for yourself.