Should You Fear Your Boss?

Fear in the employee has negative effects.

Bosses can be very intimidating in the workplace and many of their subordinates are almost helpless to do anything about it, so the question is: are you afraid of your boss? More appropriately, the question that ought to be asked is: should you be afraid of your boss? The answer is no.

There is no disputing the fact that your boss is your superior in the workplace and should be respected and his/her directives followed (as long as they are not illegal), but this does not in any way mean that you have to fear them.

There are different types of bosses, some are benevolent and understanding while others are outright grouches. When advising employees or subordinates about their relationship with their boss, it is important to first of all state that as an employee: you need to be efficient and effective in the workplace by doing your work diligently and using your imagination or creativity where necessary. You are paid to add value to the organization and your boss is there to ensure that you do just that. They aren’t there for you to like them.


So, if you do all of the above and your boss is still trying to make your life miserable, then I advise you to summon-up courage and confront him on the issue (not violently but in a civil manner). Tell him, I do my best on the job and cannot understand why you are being so harsh with me.

If your boss yells at you after this, know that there is very little you can do to change him/her. So you can either endure their attitude or get a new job within or outside the organization.

Alternatively, if your boss takes time to explain why he is always in such a bad mood with you and there are things you can do to solve the problem; do them as long as they are not illegal or unethical.