3 More Positive Strategies to Deal with Your Eeyore Vampire Boss

A couple of weeks ago I shared with you “3 Positive Strategies to Deal with an Eeyore Vampire Boss.” I knew there were flocks of negative bosses everywhere, but evidently more tha
I realized.

Your overwhelming response prompted me to remember some of my Eeyore Vampire bosses. The one who was so insecure she didn’t want the organization to grow. Another who wanted me to trade product for pot. The one whose boyfriend was jealous of my success.

I reflected on what I learned from them and here are “3 More Positive Strategies to Deal with Your Eeyore Vampire Boss”:

Take Charge of the Conversationr
From the one who was so insecure she didn’t want the organization to grow I learned that positive success means change. While some bosses say they want to succeed, their definition is to keep things as they are. To prop up the current façade so that it survives, not thrives.

Take charge of the conversation with such bosses and realize that their fear is real, primarily fear of losing control. Rather than waiting until the weekly meeting, have impromptu conversations about some positive outcome and connect it to something familiar that he knows about. That’s comforting to your boss, easing him into growth mode rather than jerking him out of his comfort zone.

Take Care of Yourselfr
From the one who wanted me to trade product for pot (and promised to share with me) I learned that you have to take care of yourself.

Yes, the job is important. Yes, you respect authority. Yes, you need to make money.

Yes, you have a job and respect authority in jail, but it doesn’t pay very much.

Each morning when you get up and stare at yourself in the make-up or shaving mirror, it’s you. Only you. Your first responsibility is to yourself. As James Altucher writes in his great book, be sure to “Choose Yourself.” www.jamesaltucher.com

Take care of yourself. Live in honesty, integrity, and love and you’ll always have a job, or better yet, be your own Work Positive boss!

Take Compassion on the Bossr
From the one whose boyfriend was jealous of my success I learned that sometimes the boss needs some compassion, too.

I was 22 years old, had tripled the company’s revenue each month in my first three months, even picked up her Great Dane from the shelter when he ran off in a driving rainstorm, and she fired me a week after I returned from my honeymoon because her boyfriend was threatened by me. What did I learn?

It took a while to quit hating her and forgive her. When I did, I realized this company was the first she owned. She was figuring out what it meant to be responsible for all kinds of operational matters that she had little background in. She was in way over her head, which is why she got drunk to fire me. Later she lost the business.

The boss is human and makes mistakes, too. I made my fair share working for her.

Quit hating the boss. Hate hurts only you.

Forgive the boss. No, she doesn’t deserve it, but forgive her for your sake.

Take compassion on the boss for being human, too, take care of yourself, and take charge of the conversation so you Work Positive in a negative world.

What have you learned from Eeyore Vampire bosses? Share your story with me at DrJoey@ListentoLife.org or comment on the Work Positive blog.