Is Your Boss Threatened By You? Here Are 5 Ways to Know

Bad Boss
Image via iStock.

It is never fun when you have an enemy at work, but it becomes even more alarming when it is your boss. You might immediately wonder what you could have done to upset them and start overanalyzing your own behavior.

But as Career Nudge points out, their issue might be that you have been doing so well that they have started to see you as a rival.

Whether it’s that they fear you replacing them or just overshadowing them, there are many telltale signs to watch for that they see you as competition to squash.

It Feels Like They Don’t Want to Speak to You

Do you keep asking for some time to talk to your boss but they just never have any openings in their schedule anymore?

It’s been way more than one or two isolated incidents. This might just be avoidance on their part to try and prevent giving you clarification on your projects. It’s a passive-aggressive strategy to set you up for failure.

You’ve Heard They Badmouth You

They never are openly rude to you, but one of your work friends might pull you aside to let you know your boss has been putting you down when you are not around. This is more than just idle complaints or gossip. Your boss might be poisoning the higher-ups against you before you’ve even met them.

They Give You Unrealistic Goals

Maybe you took the extra work as a sign they trusted you. But now it’s way too much for you to get done anymore no matter what you do. This is an easy way to set you up to make you look bad and say you can’t handle the job.

You Don’t Get Credit

Does it seem like your boss always coincidentally forgets to acknowledge your efforts on a big achievement when discussing it with others? They could be trying to take credit for your work and leave you in the awkward position of looking like you are bragging if you speak up.

You’re Left Out

Are you always the last to know when plans change? Do you mysteriously not get notified about meetings? But when you mention this the response is always “oops, I guess I just forgot!”

Ideally, all this could be resolved with a mature conversation where you two honestly air things out. But be prepared for the possibility that they won’t be open to that, and you might have to resort to HR.

To recognize more ways that your boss might be deliberately undermining you, see the other signs from Career Nudge here.

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Wilmington University, the sponsor of VISTA Today — Career Corner, is a private, open-access institution that serves more than 20,000 adults, including those seeking advancement through higher education and traditional-age students who aspire to become successful global citizens.

One of the most affordable private universities in the Delaware Valley, WilmU is committed to the idea that finishing an undergraduate degree or obtaining a master’s or doctoral degree can be affordable and accessible.

The University offers over 200 accredited and career-relevant degree and certificate programs in flexible online and hybrid formats designed to accommodate adults of all ages who work full- or part-time or juggle demanding career, family, and personal schedules.

Learn more about WilmU here or register to attend one of the University’s webinars. You will find information about academic programs, flexible scheduling options, tuition, admissions, student services, athletics, and more.

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