Have you ever dealt with an unempathetic leader at work? It can be difficult to work with a manager who doesn’t understand their employees. They may be less than willing to allow employees time off to spend with their families or understand how a death in the family or sick relative might affect work performance. This can result in a tense work atmosphere. However, there are a few things you can do to cope.
Be an Empathetic Person
If you notice people at work feeling down and your boss neglects to acknowledge it, you can ask them what’s wrong. If they’re missing work due to a personal issue, you can even offer to fill in. Essentially, if your boss’s lack of emotional intelligence is causing problems, it’s to your benefit to help. You aren’t doing it to help your boss—you’re doing it to be proactive.
Focusing on your own emotional intelligence and what you can do is much more helpful than fretting over how your boss’s lack of empathy is harming the workplace.
Be Direct About the Impact
Unempathetic leaders aren’t necessarily bad people. They just lack the ability to understand why people feel the way they do, and how those feelings might affect their job. That means you might need to make situations a bit clearer for them.
For instance, if they aren’t recognizing emotional cues, name the emotion. If you’re struggling because a family member is sick, tell your boss about the situation. Let them know the basics of how it affects your mood and work. A good manager, even one lacking in empathy, should be able to understand when the facts are laid out.
Provide Feedback in Your 1:1 Meeting
If you regularly have a meeting with your manager, this could be a good time to provide feedback on the unempathetic behavior you’ve been seeing. Schedule time on your manager’s calendar to discuss any tensions you may be experiencing. There could be some conflict resolution that comes out of this if your manager is receptive to the feedback.
Find a New Job
Some unempathetic leaders just lack a skill and can understand when provided with a bit of clarity. However, if your unempathetic boss is making every day stressful, it might be time to look for a new job.
During your interviews, ask questions to make sure you don’t end up with another unempathetic boss. Ask about whether employees have flexible work schedules, what achieving goals looks like, and whether there are teambuilding events. Prepare to answer questions about why you’re leaving your current job, and what you want in your next one.
About Express Employment Professionals
At Express Employment Professionals, we’re in the business of people. From job seekers to client companies, Express helps people thrive and businesses grow. Our international network of franchises offers localized staffing solutions to the communities they serve across the U.S., Canada, South Africa, Australia, and New Zealand, employing more than 11 million since its inception. For assistance with your job search, visit ExpressPros.com/Job-Seekers or ExpressPros.ca/Job-Seekers.
