Dealing with an upset boss is a situation that you will likely encounter at some point in your career – usually when something goes wrong at work. Whether it’s your fault or it’s entirely out of your control, the first thing to do is to stay calm and resolve the situation as quickly and amicably as possible. Getting upset or angry will only make the situation worse.
If your boss is having a bad day, here are some steps you can take to diffuse the situation and get them back on track.
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Whatever has upset your boss is not going to resolve itself, so you will have to address the situation head-on. Assess the severity of the problem. If the issue is minor, then not too much harm is done, and it will probably all blow over soon enough. If the issue is serious enough to upset your boss, you will have to deal with it. If you have done something wrong, take responsibility for your actions, apologize, and offer to rectify the problem as soon as possible. On the other hand, if your boss is upset about something that is beyond your control, try to be understanding and sympathetic to your boss’s point of view. This may go a long way to calming them down. In either case, deal with the situation and remain calm and respectful, no matter how upset your boss is.
Most people don’t like confrontation, especially in the workplace, especially with someone in higher authority, but it’s better to confront an unpleasant situation head-on rather than avoid it and hope that it will go away. Yes, it can be tempting to avoid your boss when you know they’re upset with you. However, this is the worst thing you can do. Not only will it make a bad impression on your boss and make the situation worse, but it will be harder for you to resolve the issue later and may even permanently damage your future relationship with your boss.
Be proactive. Apologize for your mistake. Show your boss that you’re not shying away from responsibilities and you’re ready to fix the problem.
In the heat of the moment, it’s easy to get wrapped up in your perspective and forget about the other person’s point of view. But when you are dealing with an upset boss, it’s important to remember that they have more going on than just your situation.
Your boss has a lot of responsibility, and they may be dealing with other problems — both at work and home. Try to be understanding and patient. If you can, offer to help them with other tasks that might lighten their workload or ease the situation upsetting them. It will show your boss that you care about their well-being and that you’re willing to go the extra mile to be supportive.
Owning up to your mistakes can be uncomfortable. Nobody likes to admit that they have done something wrong or have been neglectful in their duties, but to maintain a good relationship with your boss, you must own the mistake. Your boss will appreciate it. Apologize for your actions, take responsibility for your misstep, and show a willingness to fix the problem as soon as you can. Do whatever you can to make things right. For example, if you have missed a deadline, offer to put in overtime to get it done. Once the situation has been resolved, make sure your boss knows that you have learned from your blunder and assure them that it will not happen again.
Even if you aren’t responsible for the situation, it’s still a good idea to offer what help you can to diffuse whatever situation has upset your boss. It will show them that you’re taking the situation seriously and you’re sympathetic to their viewpoint and that you want to work together to resolve the problem.
If you can, try to come up with a solution that your boss will appreciate. This could involve taking on extra work or fixing the mistake that either you or somebody else made. Show your boss that you are committed to finding a solution. With a bit of patience and effort, you will be able to resolve the issue, calm your boss, and move on.
When you are dealing with an upset boss, it is important to remember that they are the boss and that you need to have a good working relationship with them going forward. If you fall out with your boss, it may harm your career in the future. You may even be overlooked for promotion as a result. So, try and re-align yourself with your boss. This doesn’t mean that you must agree with everything they say, but it does mean that you should respect their authority and listen to their point of view. Put yourself in their shoes. Acknowledge that they have had every reason to be upset.
Once you have done that, try to find a way to resolve your differences. Work together. Come up with a plan that addresses the issue and make sure to follow through.
If you caused a problem that upset your boss, it’s important to find a way not only to fix the problem but also to avoid making the same mistake again. Take responsibility for what you did and figure out where you went wrong. And more importantly, show your boss that you are committed to doing better in the future.
If you cannot fix the problem yourself or your boss is still upset with you, get help. Talk to your HR department or a senior colleague at work and see if they can help you resolve the issue.
Dealing with an upset boss can be difficult and stressful, but it doesn’t have to sour your future relationship with them or make things awkward in the workplace. Apologizing, acknowledging their right to feel upset, and showing your commitment to resolving the problem can go a long way to getting your relationship with your boss back on track. We all make mistakes from time to time. The important thing is to fix them, learn from them, and move on.
