It can be frustrating to work with a boss who has unrealistic expectations. Instead of just caving in or deciding it’s time to update your resume, there are a few approaches you can try to preserve your sanity and forge a stronger relationship with your boss. First, calm yourself so you can gather your thoughts and take measured, appropriate action, rather than reacting impulsively. You might try grounding techniques (also known as anchoring), which bring the overly reactive mind back to the body. Then, keep in mind that your boss and you presumably have shared goals. Showing that you’re on the same page may give you the leeway to explain some of the practical realities. You can acknowledge the requests without labeling them as unrealistic. Check to be sure you understand and are delivering on what your boss actually wants. Ask questions and lay out iterative plans that you feel are realistic. You might say something like, “Take a look at these scenarios, and let me know which aspects match your sense of things, and then I can build them out.” This approach can feel time-consuming, but it keeps you from straying far off-base and fosters a sense of partnership that will help you develop trust for the future.
Whether your manager is a front-line supervisor or the CEO, every leader occasionally has unrealistic expectations. But some bosses are unrealistic most of the time. They don’t take into account the facts on the ground, or they habitually refer to their past experiences at other companies rather than to the people and events in the current organization, or perhaps they report to someone who’s even more aggressive or overly optimistic than they are.
See The Original Blog:
https://hbr.org/2019/04/how-to-work-for-a-boss-who-has-unrealistic-expectations?fbclid=IwAR0h6KPR1y_4nPypNH388xI0MK9yDc5FplhRSt-g21llwH789mFfn-4WXZA
