8 Ways of Dealing with a Boss

by Catherine MatticeJul 23, 2012

You may have your dream job that you love and would never give up, but it seems too good to be true. Your boss isn’t the most understandable person. So how do you go about dealing with a boss you don’t like?

“Think about your boss. If the image of your superior doesn’t automatically anger and frustrate you, consider yourself lucky. If you even like your boss, don’t ever take that job for granted. Not every boss in your career will see eye to eye with you on work issues, and some might have a management style that clashes with your personality. You may even encounter a few that are downright abusive.”

In order to fully embrace your dream job, you need to be able to embrace the people you work with. These tips will help you do so.

Incivility, bullying, and harassment occur because the culture allows them to. Before starting inclusivity initiatives, you’ve got to stop bad behavior. Take this assessment to determine if your workplace fosters a positive culture.

About Catherine Mattice

Catherine Mattice, MA, SPHR, SHRM-SCP, is the founder/CEO of Civility Partners, an organizational development firm focused on helping organizations create respectful workplace cultures and specializing in turning around toxic cultures. Civility Partners’ clients range from Fortune 500’s to small businesses across many industries. Catherine is a TEDx speaker and an HR thought-leader who has appeared in such venues as USA Today, Bloomberg, CNN, NPR, and many other national news outlets as an expert. She’s an award-winning speaker, author and blogger, and has 50+ courses reaching global audiences on LinkedIn Learning. Catherine’s award-winning book, BACK OFF! Your Kick-Ass Guide to Ending Bullying at Work, was hailed by international leadership-guru, Ken Blanchard, as, “the most comprehensive and valuable handbook on the topic.” Her latest book is Navigating Toxic Work Environments For Dummies (Wiley).

Start the Year on a Good Note (Literally): Your Workplace Playlist

by Jennifer Areola-Estudillo | January 7, 2026 | Civil & Healthy Workplaces | 0 Comments

Research consistently shows that music affects how our brains process emotion, connection, and stress. According to the American Psychological Association, music can reduce cortisol levels, helping lower stress and anxiety while improving emotional regulation. In...

Celebrating Your 2025 Wins!

by Catherine Mattice | December 17, 2025 | Civil & Healthy Workplaces | 0 Comments

Have you stopped to pause and appreciate everything you’ve accomplished this year? Were you able to make some strides on improving your culture? Did you finally get that one initiative approved that you’ve been working on for a while? Or maybe you finally finished out...

HR in 2025: A Year in Review

by Catherine Mattice | December 11, 2025 | Corporate Culture & Employee Engagement | 0 Comments

As 2025 comes to a close, it’s hard not to look back and notice just how much the world of HR has been in motion. This year revealed an incredible amount of resilience, creativity, and heart across the profession. Many of you worked quietly behind the scenes,...

’Tis the Season for Boundaries: Protecting Your Time and Well-Being This Holiday Season

by Catherine Mattice | December 3, 2025 | Civil & Healthy Workplaces | 0 Comments

The holiday season is a time to rest, connect, and reflect. But for many employees, it can also feel overwhelming. Work seems to speed up instead of slow down thanks to the “vacation tax” that comes with time off. Projects pile up, deadlines tighten, and expectations...

A Year of Appreciation: What We’re Grateful For at Civility Partners

by Catherine Mattice | November 26, 2025 | Civil & Healthy Workplaces | 0 Comments

As we approach the holiday season, our team at Civility Partners is taking a moment to pause, breathe, and reflect on what we’re most grateful for. Our mission has always been clear: to partner with our clients to help them create a positive workplace environment....

Civility Partners vs. Korn Ferry & EY: What Sets Us Apart

by Catherine Mattice | November 19, 2025 | Leadership | 0 Comments

Recently I was asked the question on a podcast: “What do people get when they work with Civility Partners? My answer: “You’ll get direct, honest and empathetic information. We care very much about our mission to create work environments across the globe where people...

Speak Like a CEO, Lead Like HR: Power Language That Drives Culture Change

by Jennifer Areola-Estudillo | November 12, 2025 | Leadership | 0 Comments

Last week, we gave you tips on how to make a business case for culture change. Did you try it yet? How did it go? As we were brainstorming for this week's newsletter, we realized that part two is in order, and it’s all about how you present the amazing business case...

6 Steps to Build a Business Case for Culture Change

by Catherine Mattice | November 5, 2025 | Leadership | 0 Comments

If you’re reading this, you’re probably standing in the middle of an impossible tug-of-war. Leadership wants data. Employees want meaning. And somehow, you’re supposed to turn feelings, trust, and respect into metrics that fit on a slide deck. But here’s the truth:...

Even Small Teams Can’t Afford to Ignore Culture

by Catherine Mattice | October 29, 2025 | Corporate Culture & Employee Engagement | 0 Comments

Whenever we talk about culture, we often hear, “We’re too small to need culture work,” or “We’re a small company; we’ve got it covered.” But here’s the reality: you’re too small not to focus on culture. When you only have 20 or 50 people, for example, every...

Mansplaining, Womansplaining: Why People Tend to Over-Explain

by Catherine Mattice | October 21, 2025 | Civil & Healthy Workplaces | 0 Comments

We’ve all been there — sitting in a meeting where someone takes five minutes to explain what could’ve taken thirty seconds. Or maybe you’ve caught yourself doing it, adding just one more clarification, one more justification, one more “Does that make sense?”...