Angry looks by the water cooler, avoiding phone calls, talking behind your back – although these are sure signs that a coworker doesn’t like you, your boss can’t be so direct.
So how can you tell if your boss hates you? Check out these 5 signs and learn how to get back in his or her good graces.
1. Barriers: Your boss does not move coffee cups, cell phones, or any other objects between you during a meeting. If your boss respects you he or she will unconsciously move things out of the way as a sign of respect.
2. Body Language: If your boss stands facing you when talking informally instead of to your side it may be a sign he or she does not like you. Standing at your side means that he or she trusts you; standing facing you shows that your boss is not comfortable with you.
3. Left Out: If you are no longer invited to meetings or important events, you can guess that you’re either not liked or not valued enough to join.
4. Loss of Contact: If your boss primarily contacts you with email you’ve probably fallen out of his or her good graces. When your boss wants to hear what you have to say he or she will be more likely to talk face to face or on the phone. If your boss does not like you however, he or she will want to keep contact to a minimum, and primarily over email.
5. Poor, Vague Performance Reviews: If you receive poor performance reviews without providing specific feedback on how you can improve, then your boss may just not like you.
If these remind you of your boss, you’ll want to rectify that situation as soon as possible if you want to be secure in your job. Here are a few ways to solve the problems between you and your manager:
- Find out if it you have a performance issue. If you are not meeting your boss’s expectations then you’ll need to figure out how to change that. Many inexperienced managers can resent under-performing employees and begin to judge them personally for any professional shortcomings.
- If your performance is strong, you and your boss may have conflicting styles. If your boss prefers to receive a report with just the facts and you give lengthy reports with opinions and suggestions this may rub him or her the wrong way. Try to learn what your employer likes and cater to that.
- If your performance is strong and your styles are aligned, you may want to approach your boss about your concerns directly. Do not accuse him or her of hating you, or ask how you can solve the problem between you; ask your employer if there is any way you can make their job easier, or if they have any suggestions on areas you can improve on. This shows that you are looking to improve yourself and also may reveal any problems he or she may have with you.
If you are not able to resolve the problems with your boss you could stay at your current job and hope that you outlast him or her – but as long as there is a personal conflict it’s going to be difficult to move up within that company. Instead of staying in a bad situation you may want to consider looking for a new job where you will be happier and can work in a more positive environment.