A negative impact of your boss's toxicity might extend much further than the workplace and seriously damage employee mental health: rather than being your regular self, you feel constantly entrapped in the agony of insecurities every time you are at the office or go back to your off-work time. 

Your manner shifts, and you grow into one of the biggest critiques of yourself and your actions. Everyone will have to deal with a toxic boss at some point in their lives. It's so widespread that it's difficult to escape it entirely. However, this does not imply that your life must be terrible. You don't have to butcher your self-esteem or accept things just the way they are because you need to earn money. There are some tried and tested ways that will help you to deal with a toxic boss efficiently.

Understand the Obvious Manifestations of Toxicity

First, you need to understand that although many people rise to positions of authority merely because they seek power and have narcissistic tendencies, most leaders begin as ordinary people.

Due to their status, these people grow distorted and turn into toxic and maladaptive versions of themselves, which their earlier selves would not even recognize. Try to analyze your boss and learn how they manifest their toxicity in your life. Regardless of whatever the reason is, your boss is not supposed to dump it all on you.

Ways to Handle a Toxic Boss

A toxic boss can become a bully or, in worse-case scenarios, an abuser. No matter what the situation is, the first thing you need to do is internalize this message that you are not at fault and it is your boss that needs helps. This will become a strong mental barrier against all the toxic phrases, looks, and actions that your boss throws at you.

After mental protection, you need to opt for legal protection from this toxic boss. Try to record your communication with them and calmly tell them how their behavior affects you – not as feedback but as a request. By request, we are not advising you to show yourself as a victim and make your boss empathize with you, but only tone down your complaint and label it as a request so you are heard, get done with it, and move on quickly.

If nothing works, then your last resort would be complaining to HR. Provide all the records and documents to back you up and take a paid leave so your boss cannot target their anger of getting investigated on you. You might even have to change your position in the company. However, if you work in a small organization with no HR, your last resort would be to free yourself from the toxicity and quit. You do not deserve to live every day as a battle. No sum of money or position is worth your mental health.

Understand the Obvious Manifestations of Toxicity

First, you need to understand that although many people rise to positions of authority merely because they seek power and have narcissistic tendencies, most leaders begin as ordinary people.

Due to their status, these people grow distorted and turn into toxic and maladaptive versions of themselves, which their earlier selves would not even recognize. Try to analyze your boss and learn how they manifest their toxicity in your life. Regardless of whatever the reason is, your boss is not supposed to dump it all on you.

Ways to Handle a Toxic Boss

A toxic boss can become a bully or, in worse-case scenarios, an abuser. No matter what the situation is, the first thing you need to do is internalize this message that you are not at fault and it is your boss that needs helps. This will become a strong mental barrier against all the toxic phrases, looks, and actions that your boss throws at you.

After mental protection, you need to opt for legal protection from this toxic boss. Try to record your communication with them and calmly tell them how their behavior affects you – not as feedback but as a request. By request, we are not advising you to show yourself as a victim and make your boss empathize with you, but only tone down your complaint and label it as a request so you are heard, get done with it, and move on quickly.

If nothing works, then your last resort would be complaining to HR. Provide all the records and documents to back you up and take a paid leave so your boss cannot target their anger of getting investigated on you. You might even have to change your position in the company. However, if you work in a small organization with no HR, your last resort would be to free yourself from the toxicity and quit. You do not deserve to live every day as a battle. No sum of money or position is worth your mental health.