如何与难对付的老板相处

 　　A difficult or abusive boss can poison the best of jobs. But you are not powerless; before you even consider quitting, try the boss-taming strategies below.

　　一个难缠或喜欢滥用权力的老板可能会将好端端的工作搞砸。但你并不是完全无能为力的；在你考虑不干之前，不妨试一试下面几种对付老板的策略：

　　CHANGE YOUR OWN WAY

　　Few people are randomly¹ violent. They blow up on particular occasions over particular issues. Track your boss's peeves² and patterns, then eliminate the triggers within your control. For example, if he snarls³ when you arrive just five minutes late to work or make one typo on a memo⁴, avoid these slipups no matter how trivial they seem. If one of your coworkers manages your boss's moods skillfully, ask him what you could be doing more effectively, then borrow a few of his moves.

　　很少有人是随意发火的。他们一般是在特定场合因特定的事而发作的。你要摸清你的老板的脾气，并尽可能消除隐患。比如，他为了你上班仅迟到5分钟或打错了一个字便大发雷霆，那么你就要尽量避免这类疏忽，不论它们看起来多么微不足道。如果你的某位同事善于应付老板的情绪，那你就向他请教一下你怎么做才能更为有效，不妨借用他的一些手段。

　　STAY COOL UNDER FIRE

　　Respond to the content of your boss's tirade⁵, not the curses. Whatever you do, don't cower⁶, stammer⁷ or apologize. Some people get off on brutalizing others, and passivity makes you a target. Respond confidently: Say "I'd like to put together a report that will satisfy you. Let's discuss how I can make that happen.

　　只可回应你老板所责骂的事，而不回应他的恶言恶语。不论怎样，都不要畏缩、支吾或抱歉。有些人自认为可以对他人蛮横，而逆来顺受就会使你成为其目标。你要自信地回应说：“我想准备一份令你满意的报告。让我们谈谈我怎么做为好吧。”

　　USE CONSTRUCTIVE⁸ CONFRONTATION⁹

　　Your boss may be more willing to change his behavior than you think. Some managers don't realize how much their words or actions upset staffers. Tell him how his outbursts make you feel. Say for example, when you call me names and criticize my work in meetings I feel demoralized Please address me respectfully and take me aside to discuss criticisms in private. If he values your work, he may rein¹⁰ in his abusiveness.

　　你的老板可能比你所想象的更乐于改变其态度。有些经理并没有认识到他们的盲行使下属感到多么不快。可以告诉他你对他发怒的感受。比如说：“当你在会议上责骂我，批评我的工作时，我感到很沮丧。请尊重我，把我叫到一边私下里提出你的批评。”如果他看重你的工作，他会对自己的谩骂有所收敛的。

　　APPEAL TO A HIGHER AUTHORITY

　　If your boss becomes intolerably abusive, you may have to go above his head to your personnel department or senior manager. But before you take this course, discreetly¹¹, ask coworkers if they've clashed with your boss in the past. Ideally, they will back you up and permit you to mention their names when you make your charges. That way, you can bring a pattern of behavior to management's attention. Begin by asking, "Can I have a discussion with you off the record?" Then cite examples that show how your boss's treatment negatively affects your performance. Make it clear that you want to improve the situation, not punish your boss. If discipline is what he needs, let the higher-ups make that call.

　　如果你的老板滥用权力到了令人难以容忍的地步，你就得越过他直接找人事部门或高级经理了。但在你采取这一步骤之前，要谨慎地询问一下同事，他们是否过去也与你的老板有过冲突。他们可能会支持你并且允许你在上告时提到他们的名字。这样你就可以提请公司主管注意你老板的不当行为。你可以这样发问：“我能和你作一次非正式的谈话吗？”然后举例说明你上司的作法如何影响你的工作。你要表明你想改进现状，而非惩罚你的老板。如果你的老板需要纪律约束的话，那就让上级打电话通知他吧.

1 randomly   

adv.随便地，未加计划地

参考例句：

• Within the hot gas chamber, molecules are moving randomly in all directions. 在灼热的气体燃烧室内，分子在各个方向上作无规运动。 来自辞典例句
• Transformed cells are loosely attached, rounded and randomly oriented. 转化细胞则不大贴壁、圆缩并呈杂乱分布。 来自辞典例句

2 peeves   

n.麻烦的事物，怨恨，触怒( peeve的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• It peeves me to be ordered out of my own house. 命令我从自己的家中出去，真太气人了。 来自辞典例句
• Write down two of your pet peeves about home or any other situation. 写下两个你厌烦的家务事或其他的情况。 来自超越目标英语 第3册

3 snarls   

n.（动物的）龇牙低吼( snarl的名词复数 )；愤怒叫嚷（声）；咆哮（声）；疼痛叫声v.（指狗）吠，嗥叫， （人）咆哮( snarl的第三人称单数 )；咆哮着说，厉声地说

参考例句：

• I don't know why my hair snarls easily. 我不知道我的头发为什么容易缠结。 来自辞典例句
• She combed the snarls out of her hair. 她把头发的乱结梳理通。 来自辞典例句

4 memo   

n.照会，备忘录；便笺；通知书；规章

参考例句：

• Do you want me to send the memo out?您要我把这份备忘录分发出去吗？
• Can you type a memo for me?您能帮我打一份备忘录吗？

5 tirade   

n.冗长的攻击性演说

参考例句：

• Her tirade provoked a counterblast from her husband.她的长篇大论激起了她丈夫的强烈反对。
• He delivered a long tirade against the government.他发表了反政府的长篇演说。

6 cower   

v.畏缩，退缩，抖缩

参考例句：

• I will never cower before any master nor bend to any threat.我决不会在任何一位大师面前发抖，也不会为任何恐吓所屈服。
• Will the Chinese cower before difficulties when they are not afraid even of death?中国人死都不怕，还怕困难吗？

7 stammer   

n.结巴，口吃；v.结结巴巴地说

参考例句：

• He's got a bad stammer.他口吃非常严重。
• We must not try to play off the boy troubled with a stammer.我们不可以取笑这个有口吃病的男孩。

8 constructive   

adj.建设的，建设性的

参考例句：

• We welcome constructive criticism.我们乐意接受有建设性的批评。
• He is beginning to deal with his anger in a constructive way.他开始用建设性的方法处理自己的怒气。

9 confrontation   

n.对抗，对峙，冲突

参考例句：

• We can't risk another confrontation with the union.我们不能冒再次同工会对抗的危险。
• After years of confrontation,they finally have achieved a modus vivendi.在对抗很长时间后，他们最后达成安宁生存的非正式协议。

10 rein   

n.疆绳，统治，支配；vt.以僵绳控制，统治

参考例句：

• The horse answered to the slightest pull on the rein.只要缰绳轻轻一拉,马就作出反应。
• He never drew rein for a moment till he reached the river.他一刻不停地一直跑到河边。

11 discreetly   

ad.(言行)审慎地，慎重地

参考例句：

• He had only known the perennial widow, the discreetly expensive Frenchwoman. 他只知道她是个永远那么年轻的寡妇，一个很会讲排场的法国女人。
• Sensing that Lilian wanted to be alone with Celia, Andrew discreetly disappeared. 安德鲁觉得莉莲想同西莉亚单独谈些什么，有意避开了。