It’s hard to work for an insecure boss. Employees look up to their bosses when they are authoritative and confident. However, some bosses lack that persona,” says Lynn Taylor, workplace expert and author of “Tame Your Terrible Office Tyrant.”
Subordinates can suffer when managers lack confidence in their skills or don’t feel appreciated by others. Founder of workplace education company C-Track Training, Lawrese Brown, said that a lot of their confidence comes from being able to control you.
Image Credit: Shutterstock/Adam Gregor
These domineering bosses use a variety of tactics to control their direct reports. These are the telltale signs of an insecure boss.
They Take Credit For Your Work.
It is common for bosses who are unsure of themselves to take credit for your achievements,” Taylor said. It can impede your ability to accomplish work. Brown suggested finding strength in numbers to combat a manager who steals your ideas. You should not only find a peer to share ideas with but also an advocate who you can trust at a higher level. As a result, your boss will have a more challenging time passing off your idea.
Image Credit: Shutterstock/Stock-Asso
They Micromanage You
Organizing psychologist Laura Gallaher of Gallaher Edge says that insecure bosses get rigid around control. They’re afraid of feeling embarrassed if they don’t do things exactly as they would. You can expect them to hover over your shoulder for status updates since they are untrusting of team members’ judgment. This could look like micromanaging, over-involvement or undermining.
Taylor said that one of the best ways to counteract a micromanager’s lack of trust is by communicating regularly, such as with frequent project updates. Get to the point where your boss tells you to dial down the communications.