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By Chris Westfall – Forbes

According to The New York Times, the recent economic boom has created over 20 million jobs. Notwithstanding the anemic February jobs report, the Times points to nearly 3.5% growth in year-over-wage growth – the strongest in a decade. Jobs are plentiful, salaries are strong, the labor market is tight. Meanwhile, your boss is making you crazy.

They say that people leave people, not companies. Before making any sudden decisions, it’s important to reflect on the nature of the difficulty: is it really about personality, or a pattern of behavior? Sometimes, if people can’t change, you have to.

Frustration can come from many factors, triggers and temperaments – including your own.  Even the right employee can land under the wrong leader. And just making a change is no guarantee you won’t run into another leadership challenge. What’s the difference between a personality conflict, and a reason to make a move? Two internationally-recognized experts weigh in with their insights, in this list of the five surefire signs you need a new boss.

1. Telltale Turnover

“The biggest sign of a bad boss is voluntary turnover,” according to LinkedIn’s most-watched management guru, Dr. Todd Dewett. A TEDx speaker and authenticity expert, Dewett points to the mass exodus as the first telltale sign of a bad boss. He looks out for these signs: poor listening, no attention to employee development, and never being supportive. Dewett, the author of Show Your Ink, is a big advocate for individuality and self-expression. He’s not the kind of guy who follows the herd. So, why should you – even when people are leaving a bad boss in droves? Patterns are what to watch for, he says – that way, you aren’t looking at isolated incidents, or just following others who’ve decided to make a change. If you’re having trouble driving to your job, you can’t sleep, or you privately cry at work, those patterns could mean you need a new boss.

2. When the Boss Brokers Bad Behavior

“Beware the boss who’s not rotating or advancing after a few years in the same role,” warns Karen Mangia, a Vice President at Salesforce and the author of Success With Less. “Watch out for the power-hungry,” she cautions, “because they’ll take from you – and take the credit.”  Fairness is the key to knowing if you’re working for someone who has your interests at heart. Look for a pattern of “taking” – taking credit without sharing the respect. Balancing what your boss gives, and what your boss takes, is an interesting side by side comparison. Creating a worksheet with a series of positives and negatives can help you to see if you’ve got minor bad behavior, or a major reason for change.

3. Boss Gossip is a ‘Gotcha’

Is your boss an information broker, who’s not afraid to tell a tale or two? Gossip can be a telltale sign that a leader will leverage information – and not in a good way. Being “in the know” is worth a lot, but confidentiality is priceless. “The gossip and information broker is someone who uses information for power, position and privilege,”says Mangia. “Ultimately, it’s divisive.” What happens when your boss has the scoop on you? A good leader uses inside information to help you, and the business. Gossip and info-mongering can make you think you are crazy, Mangia says. Trust is key to any relationship. Without trust, a leader can’t be effective. And neither can you.

4. Feedback and Empathy, from the Boss

“Being a new manager,” according to Dewett, “isn’t about over-asserting what you know.” A good boss builds understanding and rapport, from a place of actively seeing to care about others and their work. When employees don’t feel valued, trusted and understood, engagement suffers. Productivity declines. And frustration can increase in a big way. “The worst trait, by far, is narcissism,” Dewett continues. Confidence is important, but beyond normal behaviors of confidence lies a pattern of insensitivity. Consider: does your boss listen to you? Are your ideas heard? Before you place blame on your boss, you might want to look at your greatest weakness, and evaluate yourself as well as your leadership. Are your ideas evaluated based on their merits, or through the filter of your boss’ narcissistic ego? If your ideas are strong, but the response is weak, there are only two places to look: 1. at your ideas, or 2. at your audience.

5. Everywhere You Go, There You Are

What if the problem with your boss is really…you? In order to be a good employee, and a good leader, Karen Mangia says that nurturing feedback is key. “Make feedback a habit,” she stresses. Do you have the training and the skills to succeed in your job? Are you able to perform as expected, or are you blaming the boss for your own personal obstacles? As a new leader, honest feedback starts by being honest with yourself.

From a place of greater understanding, you can make an informed decision – either by changing your current relationship, or deciding to seek a new one. When it comes to your career, your boss is the key to your job satisfaction and your advancement. If you’ve got challenges with your boss, and you’re miserable because of it, take the time to consider the conversation that’s needed. Being a leader means focusing first on self-leadership – and having the courage for the conversations you deserve. Maybe you need a new boss – or maybe just a new way of looking at your working relationship. Patterns can be broken, and people can change. And if not, people can also change jobs – but doesn’t it make sense to talk it out, and see what might change? A candid and even-handed conversation, where you ask for what you need, could be the first step towards getting it.

 

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