Managing your incompetent boss

Last week, I talked about the reasons why your incompetent boss is allowed to continue to hold a management position, and by extension, authority over you. So many people responded to me saying “Yeah, my boss is incompetent. What do I do about it?” So that’s what I’m going to school you on this week. The first thing you need to remember is that you can only change yourself and control how you react in various situations, and that is what we will focus on.

Understand the incompetence. Is it driven by fear, ignorance, or long-held beliefs? Once you understand the incompetence, apply a bit of empathy. Your boss is still human and deserves more than outright demonization. You are better than that. 

Fill in the gaps. Leadership is not a one-way street. Customers still need service and internal clients still need their projects attended to. Don’t leave others hanging when you can ameliorate your boss’s shortcomings by stepping in. When you lead, your reputation and your brand are highlighted.

Teach your boss. Teach your boss what you know and how you do your job. This is to your benefit because you need your boss to understand what you are talking about. 

Seek out a mentor. Your boss may not know what she is doing, but other people in your organization most likely do. Seek advice and coaching from someone whose leadership and knowledge you admire. 

Stay focused on your work. This is critical. An incompetent boss, backed by a competent team, may succeed in spite of his shortcomings. However, if you do anything less than shine in the sea of your leader’s ineptitude, everyone will notice. So, it’s even more crucial than ever that you focus and deliver. 

Set boundaries. Decide how much of your boss’s slack you will pick up and what is absolutely off the table. This is your time to shine, but you cannot shoulder all of the responsibility. In other words, do what helps you do your job and what makes you successful. Don’t do his job for him. Too many people fall into the trap of doing their boss’s job, then they get stuck. Don’t do this. 

Realize that it’s not personal. Your boss probably doesn’t have a problem with you as a human, but rather is frustrated by his own insecurities. He might even be mirroring to you the things that he himself should be doing. THIS IS NOT ABOUT YOU. This is about your boss. I know it’s difficult, but you need to try to detach from the situation. 

Ultimately, you can only control what you can, and you must let go of the rest. Dealing with people who will not or who are unable to change are exhausting. Evaluate your priorities and values and decide if it’s worth it to stay and to change what you can, or if you would be better served by moving on, changing jobs, and diving into the unknown.