Here's how you can enhance your relationship with a challenging boss.

We all live life through a subjective lens - meaning our past experiences, beliefs, and values color how we interpret events and exchanges. Objectivity can be really difficult for many people. When dealing with someone that I find difficult to collaborate with, especially after a challenging event, there's a particularly helpful journaling activity: 1. Write down beat by beat what I think happened between us 2. Re-read it and try to remove anything subjective. Make it as dry and "just the facts, ma'am" as I can (If need be, I'll get a friend to help" 3. Add in any subjective meaning-making I did along the way (sometimes I'll do this in a different color) to acknowledge my own feelings 4. Recognize their potential interpretation

Según mi experiencia lo más importante es no llevarlo al terreno personal. No sentirse ofendida personalmente es clave para poder dar respuestas reflexionadas y con un estilo de comunicación impecable que no pueda dar pie a reproches ni enfados.

When you start a conversation about a challenging topic, frame the issue in a way that shows how the conversation will benefit both of you. The goal is to work as a team together to find a solution to the issue. If you are planning to talk to your manager about your workload, for example, you could say something like: “If I continue to work like this, I will burn out and quit. I know that doesn’t benefit either one of us, so I would like to find a solution with you.” Then give them a chance to share their point of view first before expressing your point of view. Once you have both expressed your views, you can brainstorm alternative options together.

La asertividad es primordial para conseguir una comunicación lo más fluida posible. Argumentando de manera lo más objetiva posible y buscando los puntos en común y los beneficios mutuos. Defender los intereses del equipo para conseguir que funcione.

Involving leadership is the key to lasting motivation in the work environment. This approach goes beyond simple proactivity, embracing an ongoing commitment to mutual growth. Evolving leaders create an environment where innovation is valued, challenges are seen as opportunities and open communication is the norm. This leadership style not only improves working relationships, but also fosters a more adaptable and resilient team, capable of achieving higher levels of performance and satisfaction. Question for introspection: In what ways can you evolve in your current role to inspire and motivate those around you, creating an environment of mutual growth and resilience?

Rather than generating empathy, we must lovingly transform that power of empathy into understanding. Empathy, in its primary form, involves judging the individual and his or her environment. However, when empathy is guided by love, it becomes a wise, non-judgmental understanding. We must always generate appreciation for the people around us, whether they are bosses or not.