Statistics say that a big reason why great employees leave their companies is because of bad management.

The saddest part is that those who stay behind are often so demoralized by their incompetent superiors that they will only do the minimum required to keep their crummy jobs, eliminating the company’s ability to keep positive, energetic and creative employees who help them grow.

The ugly truth is that bad management doesn’t only affect you; it can affect the business, it’s clients, and it produces large amounts of stress on everyone involved often leading to more sick-days. And as you probably know, excessive stress can steer you towards making more mistakes. I won’t lie to you, terrible bosses are a pain in the a**. But just like any other challenge it is possible to overcome them and succeed.

So what can you do when you’re stuck with a boss who could’ve been Hitler’s second in command?

The first thing is to “never take anything they say or do personally.” Everyone has a different way of doing things depending on how they see the world. This means that when they spit out some stupid remark it’s really about them, not you. In other words, terrible bosses will be angry, cynical, and egotistical with or without your help; they are mentally wired this way.

Could a terrible boss change its evil ways? Off course they can. But unless you are their coach or shrink it is not your job to try and fix them. In my opinion the best thing that you can do for any toxic person is to set a better example by the person you become and pray that they catch on to it.

When you don’t take their shit personally you take away their power to hurt you. Just ignore their mind viruses and eventually they’ll have no other option than to go and infect someone else. If they see the benefit in your behavior they will adopt it. If not, it’s their loss.

The second thing is to keep your mind busy on doing your job. Don’t give them a reason to mess with you and do the best that you can at whatever your task is. All these people want is for you to screw up so they can enjoy hammering you into the floor. Do not let them!  So don’t just meet their expectations, exceed the hell out of them. Step up and become a respected leader within your division or group.

If they get pissed off, at least you will have the pleasure of knowing that it’s because you intimidate them. Look at other successful stories and you’ll notice that positive minded people who give their best never stay in that toxic situation for long. So give it your best and keep your eyes and ears open for new positive growth opportunities.

Third, focus on your where you want to be. I am sure that you have talents that need to be develop and dreams that want to be fulfil, and no one can keep from them. Just keep your mind in the direction of where you want to be and don’t make the mistake of believing that where you are is all there is, because it’s not. Inside every problem there is an equal lesson to be learned that’s designed to help us grow. Use your terrible boss as your main motivation to move into something better.

Let your imagination take you into a world of new possibilities and make a plan that can get you there. Get emotionally involved with the idea that you were born to make a living while loving what you do. There is really no excuse good enough for you to tolerate mediocrity and abuse in any area of your life. You can, and you will eventually leave your terrible boss right where he or she belongs: as a distant memory from the past.

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