Being in a situation where your boss ignores you or disrespects you isn’t fun, and over time, it can negatively impact your self-esteem, your mental wellbeing, and your job. So what do you do if you feel like your boss is avoiding you and sidelining your ideas — especially if the shift is sudden?
- Challenge your perspective. Before you make any significant conclusions about why your boss is behaving the way they are, ask yourself if their behavior towards you is consistent or if it has recently changed. It’s worth checking to see if others on the team are feeling the same way.
- Initiate a conversation. Sometimes the best way is to have a direct conversation. Shying away from this type of conversation may, on the surface, appear to be the easy option, but by avoiding the conversation, you miss the opportunity to deepen and strengthen your relationship with your boss.
- Work on mending the relationship. Continue to look for opportunities to demonstrate your value and make yourself visible. As you work through this, it is crucial to not ruminate about your relationship with your boss, or gossip and moan to colleagues about it. it will only hurt you in the long run.
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Imagine this: You’re at the weekly brainstorming meeting with your team. Every time you share an idea, your boss brushes it aside or gives a cursory nod and moves ahead without any real reaction. Or worse, you share a concept, your boss ignores it, and then minutes later your colleague shares the same idea and your boss congratulates them on their great suggestion. You leave the room feeling neglected and disrespected.
