How To Push Back With A Demanding Boss

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Having an overly demanding boss is a nightmare. Every boss thinks that what they’re asking of their employees is reasonable. They’re just asking for what they want done. They want their vision to come to life. But there are a lot of people out there, from CEOs to managers, who don’t actually understand the exact work that goes into what they’re asking for. They’ll ask employees to finish something in three hours that usually takes a week. They’ll give directions that they believe are clear enough, but that are actually full of holes. Then they’ll call their employees incompetent, simply for asking questions. I’ve had bosses like this. All of my friends have had bosses like this. The greatest bosses have usually worked the roles of those beneath them, so they truly have a grasp of what they’re asking for when they give out orders. But not all are like that. Here are ways to push back on an overly demanding boss.

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Outline expectations in advance, and in writing

Your boss may try to just bark a big bundle of orders at you. Don’t let her. Ask for a brief meeting, during which expectations will be outlined in detail. It makes you look professional and like you want to respect your boss’ vision, but it also holds your boss more accountable. She can’t just yell, “Handle the website stuff” and expect you to go from there. She must tell you exactly what she wants done. Maybe it’ll show her that what she’s asking for is a lot.