When Your Boss Is Shutting You Out, Find Out Why

By Liz Kislik for Harvard Business Review | February 7, 2019 

Does it seem like your boss is shutting you out? Excluding you from crucial meetings, not answering your questions, or ignoring your requests for support? This kind of situation is frustrating, especially if you don’t know why your manager is acting that way. The first thing to do is to verify whether your perception of what’s happening is accurate. Are your colleagues having similar experiences with the boss? If not, you may be missing some crucial context or information. If your perception is correct, think about what might have gone wrong and how you can rebuild the relationship. Have you overstepped in some area, or handled a project in way your boss didn’t like? You’ll likely have to initiate a conversation; try to show that you value your boss and want to set things right: “I realize that you haven’t wanted me to coordinate with marketing the way I used to. Have I done something that you felt didn’t represent the team well?” Take any feedback to heart, and use it to work on gaining back your manager’s trust.

Adapted from “What to Do If You Think Your Boss Is Shutting You Out," by Liz Kislik