Have you ever been in a situation where you thought you boss wanted to fire you? Perhaps it is because you do not like your boss or they do not like you. In this situation, you have a couple of choices. Some of the choices you may not like, some you may not want to do – however ultimately one of these scenarios will likely happen.

28609014_sYour boss fires you.

If your boss dislikes working with you for whatever reason, you may find that they are nitpicking your work. Perhaps they are trying to gather information that they can use to fire you. The information that they may be collecting includes:

  • Productivity measurements – sales, number of calls, cost savings, hitting performance goals, implementation, program management, problem-solving and decision-making capabilities, etc.
  • Behavior measurements – relationship with staff, peers, boss and senior management, trustworthiness, communication skills, conflict management skills, ethics, etc.

If for any reason you are falling short on these areas, figure out how to change what is not working well. Ask for some help from your boss (yes, that’s right asking them to help may turn it around) or from another trusted colleague. Consider working with a coach if you don’t have someone to help you.

You and your boss will find a compromise.

When two people are not working well together, most of the time you can find a compromise.  Sometimes the compromise is one-sided (you) and other times you may find both parties meeting somewhere in the middle. To explore a compromise, you have to put all your cards on the table with the other person and ask for some help.

Compromises work well when discussing differences in communication styles that lead to breakdowns. Some simple shift in how you say things, when you say things or the tone you use can dramatically affect how the other person sees you. If communication is the root cause of other things that are not working well at work, think hard about improving your skills in that area.

You will move to another part of the organization.

If you love the organization and not your boss, in large organizations you may have the opportunity to work under a different manager. If this is an option you want to exercise, I would suggest making the move sooner than later. You do not want to be known in the organization as an under performer or difficult to manage.

New managers are more likely to want you apart of their team when you are a good performer. They may overlook a personality miss-match, however when things start to get icky at work, they will shy away from taking you and the problems they perceive to be associated with you.

You will leave on your own.

You have ability to walk away and find another job with a new employer. The option to seek new employment can be done while you are still working. You will have to manage your communication during off work time – breaks, before or after work hours.

If your current employer determines you are looking for a job while at work, they may use that information as a basis of terminating you. Employer may see you “stealing time” for purpose other than work related or link it to low productivity.

Bottom line – you have a choice on how your specific situation will turn out. You have more control on the final outcome if you take action. However, standing back and letting things just run the course will probably end up in your boss firing you.