A career coach has revealed the signs your boss is cheating on you and how you can overcome a toxic work environment to succeed at your job.
Fiona Harold, a leading executive coach, business mentor and consultant North Irelandrevealed some of the main warning signs of a toxic boss, which can be detected in the way they manage people.
Speaking to FEMAIL, Fiona encouraged people experiencing difficulties in the workplace to “take control” of the situation and “not allow their wellbeing, happiness and career progression to be compromised by one person”.
She shared her top red flags that indicate an unhealthy workplace and revealed her tools for coping.
Fiona said bosses probably behave this way because they feel insecure about their abilities, especially if they have just received a promotion (stock image).
Red Flags in Fiona’s Workplace
The first sign that your boss may be toxic is if he or she dismisses your concerns about the tasks you are assigned.
Fiona, author of Be your own life coach said: ‘When you raise a concern about being able to complete a task in the time allotted to you, your concern is put aside.
“They may suggest that you are thinking too much or overestimating the time needed, or that perhaps you are a perfectionist, but your concern is not considered or discussed.”
Another indicator of a bad manager is when they postpone discussing your concerns, or even deny that such a conversation ever took place.
‘When you ask for more time or miss a deadline, it denies that your previous conversation ever took place. Your boss says [they] “I don’t remember the conversation,” Fiona said.
Being blamed for being late is also on the list of red flags to look out for, the career expert said.
Fiona said: ‘[Your boss] isolate and identify [you] as the only reason the work is late, and [that] A chain of events has been delayed because of you.
He added that because the finger is pointed at you, your peers may see you as the problem.
How can you protect yourself from toxic workplaces?
Fiona Harold, executive coach, business mentor and senior consultant, spoke to MailOnline about the warning signs in management behaviors that shouldn’t be ignored.
Fiona said those struggling with toxic behavior in the office should avoid having confidential one-on-one conversations with their boss. Instead, they should ensure that other people are present at meetings.
It is also important to start a conversation with your boss to try to resolve this issue.
‘Ask them for their recommendations. “Do it in a clear and confident way that doesn’t suggest you’re wrong or guilty of anything,” the coach said.
Another way to address this behavior is to always get agreements in writing and make sure you have a paper trail. This means that nothing can be denied and there is evidence of what was said in the conversations.
Asking HR and requesting a mentor could help ease tensions in the office.
“Ideally, it should be someone more senior in your organization who understands the environment,” he said.
‘This is not a sign of weakness, but of ambition and commitment. It is essential that you do not feel isolated and alone with this problem, but that you find the right way to get support.
Importantly, Fiona reminded people that the fact that their boss cheated on them is not their fault.
She said. ‘It is vital not to collude in a dynamic that could make you feel like you have done something wrong. It would be easy to start thinking that she must have done something or been negligent. See clearly that this person is behaving unprofessionally and you do not deserve this treatment.
The author said that bosses probably behave this way because they feel insecure about their abilities, especially if they have just received a promotion.
“A person who has confidence in himself has no need to undermine another,” he added.
He added that it could also be a sign that they have narcissistic tendencies or suffer from mental health problems.