Burdened by an overbearing boss? Your heart may pay the price. A Swedish study found that workers' risks for angina, heart attack and death rose along with the reported incompetence of their bosses. Here's how to survive.
Take action:
Accept that the bully has personality problems – anyone who finds it necessary to wield their little bit of power in a way that humiliates those working under him/her, has problems of a deeper nature; don't take it personally – if you get shouted at for no reason, this is not about you, it's about the bully; ask for written instructions – in this manner, your boss has to get his/her ducks in a row before tasks are given; remain polite, but distant – never reveal any personal details to your boss (he/she may just use this information to intimidate you); and learn to say no – a favourite tactic of bullies is to expect the increasingly impossible.