When we think about bosses or managers, they should be the people who make sure that everyone is succeeding. They are the ones who set the goals for the team, offer them the resources needed to grow and inspire everyone to do their best.

Unfortunately, while there are great bosses out there who will do just that, there are also toxic bosses who will do their best to prevent you from succeeding because they feel threatened by you and your potential. They might sabotage your work in many ways and take credit even if they didn’t do the job. When they undermine you, there is a high chance that you will lose motivation and question if you are a good employee as you think.

If you find yourself being sabotaged by your boss, here are some tips on how you can stop them:

Assess The Situation

Before you act, make sure to consider the situation and see if there is indeed sabotage. Ask around if other people are experiencing the same problem as you and speak to those who have worked with your boss before. When you ask around, make sure to ask neutrally if they are close to your boss. If others are saying the same thing, you may be able to get advice on what can be done to stop the sabotage.

Aside from asking around, it would be best to consider what your boss is thinking. Why are they doing it? How can you prove that they are sabotaging you? What is their goal?

You should also ask yourself whether or not you want to stay in your role. Are you willing to give up your dream company because of this sabotaging boss? Ask yourself what exactly you love or want to do because this will help you determine how hard you should work to get everything sorted out between you and your boss.

Get Evidence

While assessing your situation, it is vital that you already have evidence of the sabotage. Have a screenshot of your communications with them and other evidence that will show that your boss is sabotaging your career.

You must have this evidence on your personal computer because if you put it on your work computer, they may find it and erase it before you can present it to them as evidence of their actions.

Schedule A Meeting With Your Boss

When you have the evidence needed to prove that your boss is sabotaging you, reach out to them to speak to them about the issue. Once you talk to them, don’t let your emotions get the best of you and be respectful even if they become defensive over their actions.

Speak to them that you know you are ready for a challenge to work for your career goals, express your willingness to learn and ask them about the company’s goals and how you can match their vision.

After the talk, make it a point to outline what you have discussed and have a copy ready if they retaliate or no changes were made despite the meeting.

Speak To The HR Or Higher Level

If your boss retaliates or nothing changes in your work environment, you should reach out to the HR department or those who are higher than your boss in ranking. Present the evidence you have collected and share why your boss’s actions affect your work.

The HR or the person you are speaking to will see the pattern and know how to deal with the situation, either by acting as a mediator or offering guidance on what to do next.

Always Think About Yourself First

If there are no changes in your situation, you must consider yourself. Will you be able to stay in this oppressive work environment and keep yourself happy at the same time? If you want to move to the next step of your career, you shouldn’t force yourself to stay with your toxic boss. Best leave for a new team while you can do so, but make sure that you do your research because you don’t want to trade your oppressive work environment for another.

Your boss can make or break your career, which is why you need to act carefully if you feel like they are sabotaging your career. If they sabotage your career, know that you are not alone in this experience. Take a step back, assess your situation, find the evidence to prove there is sabotage ongoing, act accordingly and if needed, find another job that will value your hard work as an employee.

Having Boss Trouble? Why not try to find a solution among these articles:
Is Your Boss Difficult to Please
A Word Of Advice: I Have A Narcissistic Boss!
How to Deal with a Bad Boss

Can’t get enough of MiddleMe? You can find me sharing my thoughts here as well: 
Instagram @kallymiddleme
Twitter  (MiddleMe_net)
FaceBook (MiddleMe.net)
LinkedIn linkedin.com/in/kallytay