Working For Difficult Bosses: What to Do?

I am guessing some of you may have worked with a person who is difficult to work with before. Generally, I have no issues working with people and get along with ‘everyone’. However, the new boss I have is HARD. He is always right, difficult to discuss things with, and to top it all off, he is a micromanager. I have had many bosses, but never one who has been so difficult to work with or one I couldn’t get along with.

I would like to make some responses in this situation, but the question is, what is the biblical response in a situation where your boss is difficult? My initial responses to him (in my heart) were not really biblical or godly, even though I may have said or done the right thing. 

The Bible gives us clear direction about our response to those in authority; even so far as how slaves are to respond to their masters. Ephesians 6:5-8 (ESV) tells us, “Slaves, obey your earthly masters with respect and fear, and with sincerity of heart, just as you would obey Christ.  Obey them not only to win their favor when their eye is on you but as slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from your heart.  Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not people because you know that the Lord will reward each one for whatever good they do, whether they are slave or free.”

This was not really appealing to me when I was frustrated and angry. I worked at this. I can obey with respect and fear; I grew up learning to do that. But with sincerity of heart? That is harder. I could respect his authority – he was my boss – and has many good qualities and great abilities. The hard part was that he regularly frustrated me when he told me to do things that I knew weren’t the best choice, and he wouldn’t listen (and we all know that when we know we are right, we really are 😊).  He also double and triple-checked things I had been doing for years before he came to our organization.  But serving as I would serve the Lord was the hardest. We know the Lord is always right and doesn’t ask us to do anything that isn’t the best thing to do. He also knows everything, so His choices will always be the best. This boss is NOT God. He is, however, a Christian, a brother in Christ, and the person God had put in authority over me. I needed to serve him like I would if he had been the Lord. That is hard!

I am ashamed to say that the best advice I received came from my daughter. “Mom, you just need to pray for him. Pray for him the same things you would pray for yourself in the situation every day for two weeks”.  Boy, did that make me feel small? (After all, we are supposed to teach our children, not the other way around, right?) I had, of course, prayed for him. I prayed that he would change and see how he could better lead in the position in which he was. I prayed that he could learn how to better function in our organization. I stopped praying that way…I prayed for him, for his family, for him to be happy where he was. I prayed for him to succeed. I prayed every day.

There were changes immediately. Some of those changes were in my heart. Some of those changes were reflected in his behavior. Then things changed even more. Two days before the two weeks were even up, God took things completely to a different level. Organizational changes were made, and he is no longer my boss. I am now the boss. Now, I need to ensure that I lead in a way that helps people grow and be the best they can be in what they have been called to do. I need to inspire trust – and trust my subordinates to do their job.

I also need to continue to pray for him and other leaders. James 5:16 (ESV) tells us, “Confess your sins to one another and pray for one another”.  In 1 Timothy 2:1 (ESV), Paul also reminds us, “I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people.”  Prayer for each other is the best thing we can do for each other. It is also the right thing to do. And, as we know, prayer changes things, including our own hearts and how we react to difficult situations.

This outcome for me was one that was resolved in about six months (I started writing this article over two months ago). Sometimes, we may be in a situation that lasts longer, maybe even years. It is hard to have a boss who is difficult to work for.  Very difficult. We still have responsibilities, and we must do the right thing. Even if the Lord doesn’t see fit to remove the difficult ‘taskmaster,’ “the Lord will reward each one for whatever good they do” (Eph. 6:8, ESV). And don’t forget to pray, pray without ceasing, in season and out of season.