A difficult work environment can be toxic, but you can use it to your advantage.

How do you deal with a difficult work environment?

Let’s start from the beginning. You applied for a job or someone recommended you and now you’re in this place.

Everything is fine for the first few days but slowly, you start seeing how things really are, how people behave and those around them react.

 Why did you choose this job?

Maybe you like it and you are good at it, maybe you didn't have a choice or “loved the culture”... Whatever that means, because you can only see what's posted online or portrayed in the news. You don't know what's going on inside, unless an employee tells you about it. Maybe you make the “mistake” of going down the rabbit hole and read the online comments about that organization; most of them being about a company that doesn’t care, bad managers or people who are sick of working their jobs. I’m not saying that they aren’t true, but I don’t care about what. What I care about, is what makes people unhappy/unfulfilled at their jobs?

Ok, ok, let’s talk about one thing at a time.

You like the job. That’s the best scenario you could hope for. Like anything in life, the job is not perfect. Why?

Because your boss is… well, let’s be honest, he’s pissing you off with his ideas and requests, the fact that he doesn’t know what he wants, gives you a ton of work and you don’t get paid extra. Does this sound familiar?

“YES! How did you know?”

You’re not the only one, there are a lot of people in the exact situation; they like the job, can’t stand the boss.

 “What’s the solution then? I can’t ignore him.”

Think about it like a challenge. You can practice how to be more patient and how to filter the bullsh*t and let things slide.

Be nice to your boss, play the long game. If he says do X, you do it, if he says do Y, you do it; you build “capital” like Jocko Willink calls it. In this way, in theory, when you’re going to ask for something he will give it to you. If he denies you, that means he’s not the boss that you want. It’s time to look for another job.