Does my boss have BPD? (+5 Coping strategies)
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This blogpost will be explaining if your boss has BPD. In addition to this, we will also be looking at some coping strategies and solutions that you can use if you are working with a boss who has BPD.
Does my boss have BPD?
Your boss may have BPD if they are showing the following signs and symptoms,
- They have frequent anger outbursts
- They have changed their job many times
- They fear their employees might leave them
- They are not clear about their role
- They don’t have the best self-esteem
- They take decisions haphazardly
- They show self-destructive behaviors
- They change their perceptions of others frequently
- They don’t deal with stress very well
They have frequent anger outbursts
Borderline Personality Disorder can actually cause a person to have a number of anger outbursts. If your boss has BPD, they might often openly demonstrate their anger through verbal confrontations or even through some other physical gestures.
They have changed their job many times
Those who have Borderline Personality Disorder may also find it hard to stay in a job for a long period of time. As a result, they may jump from job to job but may not find stability anywhere. If your boss has a history of changing jobs, this may be a sign of their BPD.
This not only refers to switching jobs and companies over the course of a very short period of time. But, it can also refer to jumping from department to department, or team to team, in the same organization.
They fear their employees might leave them
Fear of abandonment is very truly felt in Borderline Personality Disorder. More often than not, this fear of abandonment is often projected on to a romantic partner or a ‘favorite person.’ However, this may also be projected on to others, such as coworkers or employees.
If your boss is constantly worried about their employees leaving them or abandoning them, this may be a sign that they are struggling with BPD. They may demonstrate this fear by constantly asking their employees if they are happy with their job or if they are looking for a new one.
They are not clear about their role
Another characteristic sign of Borderline Personality Disorder is a distorted self-image. If your boss has BPD, they may struggle to be aware of and understand their role and responsibilities in their job.
As a result of this, they may actually step out of their zone and may nosy on to other departments and zones where they do not have a say. At the same time, this can also affect their job performance.
They don’t have the best self-esteem
Self-esteem can also be seriously affected in case a person is struggling with Borderline Personality Disorder. A boss struggling with this particular personality disorder may not be confident and often struggles to define themselves.
They take decisions haphazardly
Another important sign of Borderline Personality Disorder which can actually lead to a number of problems is impulsivity and recklessness. If your boss often takes decisions very quickly without thinking much about the consequences of their actions, they may have BPD.
In the workplace, this can sometimes lead to the downfall of a department or even a company. In taking impulsive and reckless decisions without thinking properly about the consequences, a boss who has BPD might lead to a very unsafe and toxic environment.
At the same time, this does not mean that having a boss with BPD is necessarily a bad thing, and highlighting the challenges that they go through only adds to the stigma of mental health. There are many bosses who have BPD, but have enough awareness and support to do their job well.
They show self-destructive behaviors
Borderline Personality Disorder can also lead a person to show self-destructive behaviors, which can even sometimes endanger their own lives. In the workplace, a boss who has these self-destructive behaviors may start taking up more work than they actually can do.
They may also voluntarily ruin their relationships with others in the office, knowing well of the negative implications. If your boss has been known to purposely ruin projects and meetings, this may be a sign that they have Borderline Personality Disorder.
They change their perceptions of others frequently
A characteristic sign of Borderline Personality Disorder is that the person may often change their perceptions of others frequently. If your boss definitely has BPD, you might find them appreciating some people and then almost immediately changing their attitude about them.
This trait of Borderline Personality Disorder can sometimes make bosses hard to work with. Their opinions of others may fluctuate very easily, and this may also affect their decision-making and their judgment skills.
They don’t deal with stress very well
BPD can also affect the person’s ability to deal with stress. Being a boss often means dealing with high stress levels in many forms and functions throughout the day. As a result, a boss who has BPD may find it hard to do their job properly, especially if they have not gotten help.
Stress in BPD may also lead to dissociation episodes in your boss. For instance, they may sometimes seem like they are completely out of touch with reality and may even have paranoid thoughts.
How to deal with a boss who has BPD?
If your boss has Borderline Personality Disorder, or you suspect that they might have it, there are numerous things that you can do to make your work environment better and the working relationship with your boss more fruitful.
In the points below, we have highlighted a few coping strategies and solutions that you can use to deal with a boss who has Borderline Personality Disorder. These can also be used to deal with any other coworker who has BPD.
- Learn about this disorder as much as you can. The best thing you can do as someone whose boss has BPD is to learn more about this personality disorder. This awareness of the disorder will give you more control over your environment.
- Maintain a consistent level of behavior with your boss. You also need to remember to maintain consistency in the way you approach and speak to your boss. Those who have BPD tend to get paranoid about sudden changes.
- Do not cross your boundaries ever. Anger outbursts and emotional upheavals can be commonly seen in those who have Borderline Personality Disorder, even if it is your boss. Though you may be tempted to do so, try your best to stay within your limits.
- Try to change the way you talk to your boss. You cannot expect your boss to suddenly change their behavior, even if it has been pointed out to them. However, you will fare a lot better by simply changing your own attitude in the work environment.
- Maintain records and proof of everything. Borderline Personality Disorder may also cause cognitive defects in your boss, and as a result they may forget what they might have told you earlier.
It is thus advisable that you maintain and keep records and documents of everything that you do, and all communication between you and your boss. This will also help your boss understand more about you and thus trust you more.
Conclusion
This blogpost has explained if your boss has BPD. In addition to this, we have also looked at some of coping strategies and solutions that you can use if you are working with a boss who has BPD.
If you like this blogpost, please leave your comments and questions in the space below.
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