My boss: mental issues or Andropause

[sookie6]

I've been away from the forum quite a while. I have found myself a job and a good job at that!

I work in export. It's interesting. It's well paid and not far from home. And could become permanent in a few months.

There is a downside though. My boss is borderline psycho.

I don't know what the deal is with him...I'm struggling to diagnose what's exactly wrong with him.

He has mood swings, states that he is always right as he is the boss, cant' stand my making one single decision, but wants me to take initiatives, picks on every detail...lets say I've worked on something for a while and was able to hand in a good piece of work he will look for the tiniest little detail and magnify the gravity of it...just the other day I handed in a large excel file with plenty of information I retrived from a software...anyway...in the multitude of data I had created a duplicate...big deal!!!

Other symptoms: he is negative about everyone and everything...even his own family, criticises everyone and always expects the worse to happen...

I'm his assistant but more a slave...he would give me stupid tasks in the afternoon just to feel in control: such as phone this person for me in 10 mintutes then comes back 7 minutes later to check whether I'm dialing yet...

He barks at me when he talks to me...when I ask not the same question but a question related to the same topic he assumes it is the same question and tells me off for not remembering the answer he gave me before...

Apart from all this, he quite likes me...he offered to pay for my traveling expences on top of my salary...he wants me to stay...when I try to discuss his behaviour (which I disguise under the label 'our working relationship) he avoids all discussion by saying he has no problem with me...and that as a boss he won't question his methods or his behaviour.

It's very difficult (we all know it) to find a job nowadays, and to find an interesting one is a miracle.

I'm just trying to decide how to handle this guy as we work alongside...and he is f.....ing with my brains and my own mental health. Should I ignore or draw some line...how to be firm when he takes every little comment badly...

Is it possible that this guy (48) is experiencing some kinda of 'andropause'?

[vashti]

Have you watched how he interacts with other people? If you see that he behaves better with another personality type, you might try to mimic their style of interaction. Otherwise, you may have to develop a thicker skin if you want to keep this job, and keep your eye out for another one.

[sookie6]

Have you watched how he interacts with other people? If you see that he behaves better with another personality type, you might try to mimic their style of interaction. Otherwise, you may have to develop a thicker skin if you want to keep this job, and keep your eye out for another one.

thanks for the advice Vash. He used to interact better with his nephew (who would keep to himself most times and keep their interactions at minimal level)...but his nephew left after like 10 months...so obviously was not happy either + very young. I'm trying to do just that interact with him when only needed and keep to myself most times.

Yes I know about developing a thinker skin and believe me I thought I was a toughie..although I am used to people being strict and have their little dark sides...this guy has mental issues and I find that unsettling. I'm not afraid of him but I can feel his negativity all day...and it's been increaing rather than stabilising...mood swings etc...I've noticed for ex he is nicer when the weather is sunnier...gloomy and rainy days don't work well for him

I don't know...the coming months will definitely work as a test. If I decied I can't handle it I will have to give up.

Things work in a funny way in France. I'm on a temping contract for 6 months. At the end of the contract, I'm entitled to unemeployment allowance but if I go permanent and break my contract later I'm entitled to nought...

So not that I enjoy living on unemployment allowance but I don't want to lose everything if it turns awry with my boss.