5 Surefire Ways to Annoy Your Boss

Are You Getting On Your Boss’s Nerves?

As we come and go from jobs throughout our lives, it’s inevitable that we work under a boss or two that we simply don’t like. Perhaps it’s a difference in work ethic, learning style versus teaching style or personalities which simply clashed. Whatever the origin of the conflict, we can all remember one boss who simply annoyed us.

On the flip side of that coin, every single boss has had at least one employee in the history of his or her management life who has annoyed them. We must remember that being likable is one of the most important aspects of our relationships in life, both inside and outside the office. Your relationship with your boss is one of the relationships that you must fight to keep cordial and without conflict if you want your work life to resemble anything peaceful or productive. Check out our list of guaranteed ways to annoy your boss (and possibly get fired).

Being Entitled

We’ve all worked with them: the fellow employee who felt, due to any number of imagined abilities, that they were owed things in the work place. Perhaps it’s a longer lunch hour, an undeserved raise or the ability to cherry-pick interesting tasks and delegate the less interesting ones to their co-workers. Whatever the entitled employee’s particular MO, there’s a common denominator across them all: they are a capital annoyance to their bosses.

Before you even dream of making demands to your co-workers or boss, flip your perspective. Question your value to the company, the amount of work you actually put in and your level of dedication on a regular basis. Make sure you’ve paid your dues and done the real work before you ask your boss to consider you for special recognition, treatment or perks. Even then, be prepared to deal gracefully with a possible “no.”

Being a Compensating Brown Noser

A compensating brown noser is one who attempts to use excessive compliments, support and affirmation of their bosses to supplement a lack of quality, quantity, or both in their actual work. Compensating brown nosers believe that by constantly affirming and complimenting their bosses, they can develop a pseudo personal connection that will overshadow their dismal work performance and thus help them maintain their job status, even as they do not actually perform the job’s requirements.

If this is your strategy for staying gainfully employed, it’s time to switch gears. Most bosses will spot your tricks early on and either let you go then and there or give you a stern talking to and possible demotion.

Showing Up Late

Especially if you work for clients, showing up late to work will make you an instant thorn in your boss’s side. When you aren’t there to fulfill your job requirements when your boss, co-workers and clients need you, you’ve left other people have to pick up your slack without getting paid for it. Additionally, when you show up late on a regular basis, you’ll be on your boss’s radar for each and every indiscretion. Even if you’re only five minutes late each time, believe us: your boss notices and is also annoyed.

Showing No Initiative

If you need constant direction in projects and can’t seem to complete a task without needing input or advice from your boss, it’s likely that you’re annoying him or her. You must keep in mind that your boss is probably busy and the monotony of answering mundane questions begin to wear on he or she after a while. Taking the initiative to find answers on your own is a great way to avoid the unnecessary annoyance of your boss and your co-workers.

Being an Aggressive Debater

Another thing that is almost invariably annoying to bosses is an employee who feels the need to get aggressive when they disagree with one of their boss’s ideas. When you feel the urge to argue with your boss, you must have a clear understanding of your own tendencies toward aggressive or combative debate. If you know that you generally get aggressive when arguing your own points, hold off on doing so in a company meeting. Your boss will likely feel as if you’ve staged a personal attack. Wait until you can meet with your boss in private or you’ve formulated an idea that you can express calmly, rationally, and respectfully.

Annoying your boss rarely ends well; you must find a way to co-exist peacefully and efficiently, regardless of your own ambitions or self-image. Your boss will likely be an invaluable resource to you as you learn about your industry and gain expertise in your field. Don’t alienate or annoy them with habits you can easily overcome with a little self-reflection.

photo credit: Alex E. Proimos via photopin cc

Source: B2C_Business

5 Surefire Ways to Annoy Your Boss