If you've ever worked for someone that's insecure than you probably have a good idea of the kinds of challenges that exist in just trying to get out of bed in the morning.

Knowing that you've got to face Joe, the Unstable Boss who advertises his insecurities for all to see makes it real easy to hit the snooze button on the alarm for that "one last" time.

Technological advancements in the workforce have forced organizations to evolve to keep pace on a global scale. Managers play an instrumental role in carrying out the goals of the company through their employees. Expectations in areas of customer satisfaction and productivity have increased while companies are motivated to keep operating costs low.

Combine these factors with a manager who doesn't display confidence in their role and you have a potentially difficult situation to stick handle through, especially if you're a "smart" employee.

The relationship that exists between a manager and their staff is hierarchal in nature and can be one-sided, in which all direction is provided by the manager. Then there are other employer-employee relationships that have an open two way communication stream which encourage and generate idea sharing. Either could exist depending on the style of the manager.

An insecure boss that keeps employees under the rule of an iron thumb hurts the entire organization. This counter productive approach has individuals focussed on trying to survive as opposed to seeking innovative ways to move the collective forward.

Here are 10 ways Joe's insecurity can manifest itself in the workplace:

-Micro managing his staff to an extreme level and insists on assuming basic employee functions, essentially taking control of all decision making; vKeeping a tight circle of friends in the workplace who latch on to him because of chair he sits in and not for who he is;

-He refuses to delegate any real authority outside of his "clique";

-Continually reminds people of his status and that he's the boss;

-Insists that all communication is done electronically so there's a paper record of all conversations;

-Ensures that others mistakes are magnified whereas his errors will either be blamed on someone else or swept away quickly;

-Unable to provide the team with a sense of purpose, Joe will take the "bunker" approach in which a fair amount of time is spent behind closed doors and comes out occasionally for air;

-Has difficulty in displaying objectivity in conflict situations, especially when members of his "clique" are involved. He may opt to say nothing if it risks exposing those in his inner circle;

-Joe can be rather wishy washy, openly displaying a lack of decision making ability without getting others opinion. This also can translate into numerous studies and consultations;

-His erratic behaviour causes you to be extremely cautious and walk on egg shells around him as you're never quite sure what to expect.

Climbing out of the Lion's Den

If you've lived through any of these situations, then the idea of quitting and getting a new job has most likely come to mind on more then one occasion. If leaving isn't on your radar then you need to start looking at the things you can do to alleviate a very pressurized situation.

Also, there isn't a snap your finger, genie in a bottle fix that'll make everything go away. The path to emancipation is a long winding road that may never be fully realized.

Develop a mitigation plan to help you make the best out of the situation.

Other Things You Can Do

Pay special attention to your actions and guard against doing anything that may contribute to Joe's low self esteem. He needs to feel like you respect the position and supporting him while advancing the goals of the organization. If you're ever in a situation where you have to disagree with his opinion, be certain to do it in a positive way. It shouldn't appear like you're challenging him or questioning his authority. If possible, it's strongly recommended that others aren't present.

If you have multiple layers of management, do not go over his head to seek approval, follow the proper protocol at all costs, no matter how slow the process may be. Demonstrate that you understand and respect the chain of command. Learn his strengths and seek opportunities that would allow him to put his redeeming qualities on display. Take the time to find the things he doesn't like to do and figure out ways to offer assistance to help make his job easier. Keep the communication line as open as possible and look for every opportunity to bring him in the loop with what you're doing. Ask him for his thoughts and opinions.

Finally....

Many of the strategies involve seeking out opportunities to act on. Take an introspective look at yourself, examine your own personal insecurities and recall the ways you dealt with them. Try and transfer those strategies into your current situation.

If you think you have an insecure boss, don't take on their issues and internalize them as your own. The actions that you're boss is displaying could be driven by their fear, envy or self doubt.

Above all, maintain a strong level of sincerity in all your actions.