Don’t like your boss, but love your job? What can you do about it?

It was never going to end well, was it? Elon Musk’s takeover of Twitter has had more dramatic twists than a Mexican soap opera. 

The disgruntled masses at the tech firm are not alone in being driven out by their boss. According to Gallup’s “State of the Global Workplace” study, 50% of people quit their jobs because they don’t like their managers. Conversely, good leadership breeds loyalty, and people will stay in a workplace, even through adversity, if they like and respect their leaders. 

Musk’s first weeks as the new owner were chaotic. He began with a purge of senior leaders, including the previous CEO, and then laid off half the staff. He committed to reversing the company’s easy-going Silicon Valley work culture, which included permanent remote work and four-day working weeks. 

In his version of Twitter 2.0, he demanded that employees sign up for “long hours at high intensity” or leave. Between 1,000 and 1,200 did. Many tweeted their resignations with #LoveWhereYouWorked. 

Musk is a mercurial figure who knows how to make money; he is the richest man in the world, after all. He’s revolutionised the electric car market, built and launched penis-shaped commercial space rockets and created a space-based broadband internet company. 

He is a pioneer, undoubtedly, but is he a great leader? The exodus of employees at Twitter suggests not. 

So what happens if you love your job but don’t like your boss?  

Practise empathy, which isn’t easy when you’re not a fan of someone or their behaviours, and their values are at odds with your own. However, understanding someone’s situation and trying to imagine things they might be going through can be helpful. 

Remember, people aren’t inherently bad; there are reasons for their behaviour. Leaders are often under pressure to deliver results. Elon reportedly paid $44m for Twitter, a price tag that will put immense pressure on him to make the takeover successful. 

Practise empathy by listening, asking questions, and being curious. Behaviour can be driven by fear, lack of confidence, or a historic event. However, research shows empathy can be a game-changer in difficult work relationships. Neuroscience suggests mirror neurons in the brain prompt people to reciprocate behaviours. 

Have open discussions but don’t blame. Instead, use phrases such as: “I’d like to make sure I’m working in the best way that helps you, as I don’t feel I am”, “How can I be better?” or “Is there anything I’m doing that’s not helpful?” 

It might be hard to hear some of the things these opening gambits invite, but they help to open conversations. Even if this leads to differences of opinion, understand that neither of you is right or wrong; you just have different viewpoints. 

Speak to others. Do this positively and honestly to investigate strategies to help the leader. However, don’t conduct bitching sessions or create echo chambers of unhelpful gossip. Some people may have similar experiences and have found tools and techniques to help.

If there is a fundamental issue you feel you can’t get past, talk to HR or to someone who can support you. You might need to look for another role in the same business or feel you can no longer work in your role - this should be a last resort. 

For more tips and tricks for building relationships, get in touch with doug@laughology.co.uk.

In the meantime, check out our Leadership and Management Free Stuff page for resources you can download and use today.