Have you ever wondered about the signs your boss is not impressed by you?
If you have, then you are not alone.
There can be times when doubts pop up in your head regarding your performance at work.
And if your boss doesn’t give you any feedback regarding it, confusion can breed inside you and it can be very frustrating.
However, you don’t have to worry that much about it as we can pick up signs and get our answer without having to be verbal about it.
So, let’s move!
Signs Your Boss Is Not Impressed by You
Look for these subtle signs your boss is not impressed by you.
1. Not Handing You Crucial Assignment
Any project is going to have some critical tasks which will determine a significant milestone and some not-so-critical tasks which are more like routine or clerical work.
The crucial tasks are assigned to the people who are trusted by the boss to take the lead and brightly accomplish them.
Now just take a look at what sorts of activities has your boss been assigning to you in the last 6 months.
If you notice yourself doing some clerical work, like taking prints and maintaining files regardless of your job description, then it’s one of the red signs your boss is not impressed by you.
You may also find your colleagues being involved in major activities and thriving in the project while you not making anything significant to your name.
If you are feeling your boss is undermining you, then look for the signs of belittling.
2. Not Asking You for Suggestions
Suggestions during meetings and discussion sessions are an integral part of a project’s life.
It prospers the project’s growth and also promotes a healthier working environment.
But if you don’t find yourself being part of such a party then you should be cautioned.
It feels like you are part of a project only on paper and have no real manifestation of it.
Your boss rejects your ideas, ignores them, and treats you like someone in the team for formality but has no actual use.
This is also linked to the first one in the sense that your boss doesn’t trust your expertise and capabilities to include you in any major activity of the Project.
Now if he doesn’t trust your expertise why will he seek your advice?
Just ask yourself, when was the last time your boss entertained your input or appreciated your suggestion?
If the answer is never, then there is a good chance your boss is not impressed by you.
Also, if your boss is being hard on you without any apparent reason, then you should be cautioned.
3. Non-Existent Face-To-Face Interaction with You
Let’s talk facts.
Life is short, and we have so much to accomplish. And we can’t waste our time on things or people we don’t see to be aligned with our goals.
The same is the case with you and your boss. Your boss has been assigned to lead a team and meet certain tasks.
His priority is to deliver quality work within the time frame. Now he looks up to his team to deliver their part.
But if your boss does not bother having a face-to-face interaction with you, it’s one of the sneaky signs your boss is not impressed you.
Because it indirectly means that your boss doesn’t trust your capabilities and sees it as a waste of time to interact with you.
Now, this doesn’t mean you are necessarily doing bad.
It could be the case where you don’t know how to present your work in the best light and hence your efforts get shadowed.
Always remember, doing a great job is one thing but presenting it in the best light is whole another story.
And later is very important if you want to make a mark in your career.
Luckily, we have a guide for you on impressing a difficult boss. Check it out.
4. Sarcastic Remarks When You Try to Involve in Assignments
So far, we have been seeing how your boss is going to ignore you if you don’t even exist since he doesn’t see any real value in involving you in his project.
But what if you try to intervene? What if you go to attend the meetings yourself, you weren’t even invited for?
Of course, your boss is not going to appreciate you for this since he doesn’t want your involvement.
But he also doesn’t want to be verbal about it and shows his disapproval indirectly.
Now one tactic he’s going to deploy to make you leave and refrain from voluntary involvement is by being sarcastic.
Your boss will throw some sarcastic remarks at you to make you feel about it and leave or at least not increase your involvement.
He might say, ‘Oh you, in this meeting? We don’t need any courier for now’ or ‘Oh! You here? It was an important meeting the last time I checked.
Words may be different but the message will be clear, your services are not needed.
If you think your boss is treating you differently than your teammates, then it just hits the nail in the coffin.
5. Not Trusting You with High Responsibilities
Yet again, another manifestation of the sneaky signs your boss is not impressed by you.
You must’ve heard that with great power comes great responsibility.
But if your boss thinks you lack the power, he won’t find you worthy enough of handling any heavy responsibility.
He will hardly give you anything with high responsibility and even if he does, he’ll assign another person to monitor your work.
He may even send your work to be reviewed by someone else to see if you made any blunders.
The message however is clear.
He doesn’t trust your work and since he is having to assign you it due to a shortage of resources or something similar, he will get it double or maybe triple-checked before furthering the process.
What To Do If Your Boss Is Not Impressed by You
1. Find Out Why Your Boss Is Not Impressed by You
The most embarrassing thing you can do in this kind of situation is to complain to your boss with full conviction only to discover it had been your fault all along
Not only will it make you look stupid but also affect your credibility.
Therefore, it’s crucial to know what is the underlying reason that your boss is not impressed by you.
Is it due to your poor attention to detail or low energy at work lately?
Always remember, that different people have different preferences, so maybe you’re lacking where your boss holds the highest priority.
It’s best to dig out the reason, and if you can’t find any then approach your boss with a strategy.
Ask him for feedback on your performance since you want to contribute to the team but have been finding it challenging.
It signals dedication, sincerity, and honesty on your part.
When you’ll put it like this, your boss will be very likely to explain.
2. Focus On Your Weak Spots First
Once you’ve singled out the reason your boss is not impressed by you, it’s time to begin working on it.
Whatever the reason it is, just break it down first into fragments and target it gradually.
For example, if your boss does not like you because of your low energy at your work, then dedicate a small portion of your time to work with energy.
When you say, I will work enthusiastically for one hour, it’s much more doable when you just tell yourself to show enthusiasm without any time frame.
When you have a time frame in your mind, it will keep you focused. Your mind will keep telling you, ’20 more minutes and we’re done.
Another trick here is to not only do it privately but show your boss as well that you’re pouring energy. Don’t be verbal about it to him but show him that you’re engaging by being proactive.
You’ll likely get an appreciation from your boss and will show him that you’re sincere about your work.
The small chunks of appreciation will also keep you motivated and focused to pour more energy and then it’ll become second nature.
3. Cultivate A Powerful Aura by Being Everywhere
Now that you are gaining momentum and doing good, it’s time to take a bigger leap.
Now your job is to connect with your colleagues and see what they are doing.
Then try to get involved with them and help them with their work.
This way, you’ll expose yourself to a broad skill set.
For example, you could be doing document controlling with one colleague and finance handling with the other, and so on.
And it’s not like you have to spend all your time on them. Just ten to fifteen minutes every day with each colleague will be enough.
When you’re involved in so many activities, it will make you proficient in many things and increase your brand value.
When someone is stuck on something, they would want to seek your help.
This will increase your worth and your boss is likely to take notice of it.
He’ll begin to count you as an asset and would want to be an important part of his team.
And the best thing about it is that it’s so subtle.
Just fifteen minutes a day, to emerge as an asset.
Conclusion
You’ve made it to the end of the article. Congratulations!
You’ve now known the red signs your boss is not impressed by you.
We have only covered the most common and comprehensive reasons which will give you an idea of what could be running inside the mind of your boss to not be impressed by you.
We then looked into strategies for how you can turn the situation around and become a favorite to your boss.
Which one of the tips do you think is the most effective?
Have you ever encountered a situation where you felt deserted by your boss? Let us know in the comments below.
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