Four Ways to Manage a Difficult Boss Reading Answers

Sep 20, 2024

Four Ways to Manage a Difficult Boss Reading Answers is an academic reading answers topic. Four Ways to Manage a Difficult Boss Reading Answers has a total of 13 IELTS questions in total. In the questions, a set of questions requires you to choose the correct paragraph as an answer. There are questions where you have to fill in the blanks with correct answers. The next set of questions, you have to fill in the blanks with correct answers.

Candidates should read the IELTS Reading passage thoroughly to recognize synonyms, identify keywords, and answer the questions below. IELTS Reading practice papers feature topics such as Four Ways to Manage a Difficult Boss Reading Answers. Candidates can use IELTS reading practice questions and answers to enhance their performance in the reading section.

Section 1

FOUR WAYS TO MANAGE A DIFFICULT BOSS

You've heard it time and time again. People don't leave a company- they leave their immediate superior in the hierarchy. According to one Gallup study 50% of employees left their job "to get away from their manager to improve their overall life at some point in their career". Fifty percent! But what if you aren't ready to leave your job just yet? There are ways to manage a difficult boss; just tread carefully. As a career coach, I advise my clients to keep their emotions in check when dealing with their manager. Normally I'm an advocate for speaking up, but in this situation, please proceed with caution. You don't want to burn any bridges. Not only do you need to deal with this person on a near daily basis, you may need the reference down the road. If you aren't ready to leave your current job just yet, there are ways to make your work life more tolerable. Whatever your reason for sticking around (for now), here are four ways to manage a difficult boss.

Practice mindfulness. Incorporating mindfulness at work can be a game changer. It drastically lowers stress levels, which is critical when dealing with a difficult boss. Practice focusing on the present moment. This means not dwelling on what your boss said to you yesterday, or worrying about what she might say tomorrow. Another mindfulness tip is to focus on your breathing. The next time your boss says something that is about to throw you into a tailspin, sit and practice deep breathing. Inhale through your nose, hold briefly, and exhale out your mouth. Repeat until you feel calmer. Simple exercises like these will help you keep your cool and allow you to look at things with a clearer head.

Empathy and Sympathy. While this step may feel difficult, try to be the bigger person and reflect on what your boss might be going through. Is she dealing with a difficult manager or under extreme stress, or not being shown compassion for a difficult situation at home? Perhaps there's something going on in her personal life that is affecting how she handles things at work. Practicing empathy can help you understand her perspective and perhaps even realize that her behavior towards you isn't personal.

Take responsibility, Is your boss bringing everyone else on the team down, or is she mainly focused on you? If you notice that you're the only person that has a negative relationship with your boss, resulting in inimical interactions all the time, take a step back and ask yourself how it got that way. Did something unfavorable happen that you can take responsibility for? If that's the case, step up and rectify the situation right away. If it isn't the case, go ahead and vent .... just don't do it inside of the office.

Vent outside of the office. It's healthy, normal, and totally necessary to process your emotions, especially when you're under constant stress. Otherwise, you may find yourself with pent-up anger, ready to blow at any moment. Release all the anxiousness caused by the feeling by talking it out with a friend or family member, and then let those feelings go. This will make you more pleasant to be around, and you'll have a greater capacity to handle whatever your boss throws your way. Whatever you do, don't unleash the drama on your colleagues; that's how rumors start.

Dealing with a difficult boss is no joke. If you've practiced these techniques and still find your boss to be intolerable, brush up your resume and consider leaving ASAP. Staying in a toxic work environment, exercising restraint all the time isn't worth it. The last thing you want to do is compromise your sanity or your health. The next time you find yourself in a tough situation with your manager, remember that while you can't control your boss, you can control how you react.

Questions 22-27

Choose any of the words from the text given in the box below to fill in the blanks.

There are several ways in which you can …….... difficult boss.

Answer: HANDLE

Supporting statement: “.......There are ways to manage a difficult boss.........”

Keywords: manage, difficult

Keyword Location: para 1, line 7

Explanation: The word "handle" is synonymous with "manage." The text discusses different strategies for dealing with a challenging manager, and "handle" fits in this context, as it means to deal with or manage a difficult situation.

When you are interacting with your manager, you have to keep your …..... under control.

Answer: SENTIMENTS

Supporting statement: “........I advise my clients to keep their emotions in check when dealing with their manager........”

Keywords: emotions, in check

Keyword Location: para 1, lines 5-6

Explanation: "Sentiments" refers to emotions, and the text advises keeping them under control when interacting with a difficult boss. This fits well with the context of remaining calm and composed.

At times, if you think through the situation with ........... you may come to the conclusion that your boss does not have anything personal against you.

Answer: COMPASSION

Supporting statement: “........Practicing empathy can help you understand her perspective and perhaps even realize that her behavior towards you isn't personal.........”

Keywords: empathy, personal

Keyword Location: para 2, lines 5-6

Explanation: The text suggests that showing empathy and compassion may help you understand your boss's perspective and realize that their actions may not be personal. "Compassion" is the appropriate word here.

If you have a difficult boss, try to figure out if you are the center of his attention

and are you the sole individual with whom he has ............ vibes.

Answer: CONTRARY

Supporting statement: “........If you notice that you're the only person that has a negative relationship with your boss, resulting in inimical interactions all the time........”

Keywords: relationship, inimical

Keyword Location: para 3, line 3

Explanation: "Contrary" refers to opposite or conflicting vibes, which fits with the idea of having a negative relationship with your boss. This word reflects the challenging or adversarial interactions the text describes.

When you have a difficult boss, it is quite natural to get emotional with all

the.............. of the workplace.

Answer: PRESSURES

Supporting statement: “.......It's healthy, normal, and totally necessary to process your emotions, especially when you're under constant stress..........”

Keywords: emotions, stress

Keyword Location: para 4, lines 1-2

Explanation: The word "pressures" fits with the idea of the workplace being stressful, and it is normal to feel emotional under such conditions. This word captures the stress and emotional intensity of dealing with a difficult boss.

There will be times when you will be in a difficult situation vis-à-vis your immediate supervisor; while you cannot forecast what he or she will do or say, you must ensure that you maintain over ............ your reaction.

Answer: RESTRAINT

Supporting statement: “.........Staying in a toxic work environment, exercising restraint all the time isn't worth it........”

Keywords: exercising, restraint

Keyword Location: para 6, line 3

Explanation: The word "restraint" refers to maintaining control over one's reactions and emotions, which is critical when dealing with a difficult boss. The text advises exercising self-control in challenging work situations.