Boss from hell

The popularity of both the book and the movie of The Devil Wears Prada has made the discussion of bad bosses big business. Check out Amazon for all the latest new titles.

Unfortunately, bad boss behavior is pretty pervasive, according to a recent study by Florida State University. Check here for a recent blog I did on the topic that includes the sad statistics.

Why am I thinking about this today? A friend called me last night in quite a state of despair. A few months ago she had taken a new job — a great job, it seemed, building on her very established experience in the hospitality industry.

The first few months were on a trial basis and my friend mastered the job requirements easily. And the customers and fellow workers told the boss that they liked her too…always a plus!

But there were indications that the boss was a challenge: a quick temper, brusque, controlling. However, my friend thought that perhaps this was a sign of anxiousness with a new employee and that once she was on permanent status, the boss would be more relaxed.

Not so, according to the tension in the phone call I received. Turns out that the bad boss behavior has intensifed, now that my friend has made a commitment to the job.

I’m glad she called me…I really wanted to help her get control of her emotions: anger, hurt, fear of the boss, even fear of losing a  job.
By the end of the call, I think she was feeling better — at least I hope so. But the end of the call was a beginning of deep spiritual thinking for me.

What is the hold that bad bosses have over employees? To me, it comes down to control: bad bosses appear to exercise control over an employee’s livelihood,  career track, self-esteem,  even happiness.  AAACK! No wonder an employee feels powerless and yeah, hopeless.

Is there hope? To me there is. From a spiritual perspective, I ask myself who is really in control here or anywhere for that matter? Since I have seen evidence in my own life of a higher, divine power, I look to God or Mind as being in control of anything worth being or having in my life.

This Mind is not only the Creator of all life, She is an ever-present, ever-active consciousness affecting all the good in my experience. Another way to think about God is as the divine Principle of Love — meaning, this is the only law of living a life of unconditional love.

This conscious being, this Principle of Life must be where I and all other people really live. That goes for employees and bosses of all kinds.

So follow this line of thinking with me down to the end: Since Mind or Principle is in control of Her creation, then there is no bad control from a boss over an employee. The employee’s livelihood, career-track, sense of self and happiness are under the control of Mind. Wahoo! Freedom!

Let’s go to the boss…whatever influence causes a boss to be bad or nasty can’t come from this divine Mind either. And since it didn’t, then it has no power or control over the boss. It must be a baseless influence that will disappear into nothing when seen for what it is: powerless.

It’s like a bad dream, right? Sure seems real when you are in it, but once you wake up, you see it for what it is…powerless to affect your day. Well, the employee can wake from the bad dream and can see that the boss is also in a bad dream. This helps eliminate any sense of anger toward the boss and replace it with compassion. Yep, everyone deserves compassion and you DON’T want to be dragging around toxic anger do you?

Wahoo! More freedom!

Is it enough — like will anything change —  for the employee to see what is true and real about who is in control? Yes for two reasons: 1, he or she must align their thinking to knowing that only Mind is in control of their life, and 2. know this is true about the boss too.

An adjustment or realignment will take place, of this I am sure. The employee will feel better and at peace and the workplace dynamic will change: either the boss will improve or the employee will make a move to a new opportunity that is better. Yep, everything is under the control of Mind. It is a divine influence for good that is ever-operating.

Wanna know more about these ideas? Check out the source I go to for all my spiritual ideas: Science and Health. It’s a great guide for spiritual thinking.