A difficult boss can stress you out. [Photo/theoklahomaeagle.net] We don't get to choose who we report to. Actually, sometimes we find ourselves in difficult working environments. But bills have to paid and passions have to be pursued. This means that we have to survive even when the boss is unbearable.
Hammer it into your head that you are not the problem. An unreasonable boss will be unsatisfied with quite most people at the workplace. Whether you do what's right or make a mistake, his attitude is the same. He might have some favorites, but his general attitude towards most staff might be negative. You need to massage his ego. A difficult person (no matter how rich or powerful) might have insecurities and probably needs praise, to keep establishing he's in control or derives power from 'oppressing'. If playing dumb and smiling seems to throw him off his game and treats you nice, capitalize on that. Know the weaknesses in his personality so you can know how best to approach that. Though hard, you can try to tune out a boss who yells or uses mean words. Don't take it personally! If they have a short temper, you need to find ways to keep yours in check so you don't lose it and say or do something that gets you fired. Everything can be learned. Learn to let things slide with ease even if it takes time and effort. This will keep you at ease and also prevent you from spreading the negative energy to your coworkers or even home. It's okay if you change jobs at some point for a more supportive environment. But it's best to know how to outsmart difficult people in wit and manipulative aspects since they're present in all workplaces.