How To Deal With A Boss You're Smarter Than

Key Concepts:

1. Resisting the Urge to Show Up Your Boss:

It's tempting to correct or prove your boss wrong, especially when they fumble or repeat your ideas.
Most bad bosses are not self-aware and will become insecure and vengeful if shown up.
Insecure bosses may sabotage your growth or career.
The advice is to let them talk and take the spotlight, focusing on improving consistently and quietly.

2. Building Influence and Making Your Work Unstealable:

Instead of trying to impress your boss, build strong relationships with partners, cross-functional leads, and high performers in other departments.
Solve problems that matter to them and deliver results that impact the broader organization.
Ensure your work has your name on it:
- Follow up meetings with recap emails from your address.
- Include your name on project documents, roadmaps, and plans.
- Track results visibly to create a paper trail of proof.
This makes it difficult for your boss to take credit for your work or erase you from the story.

3. Thinking Bigger Than Your Current Role:

Start thinking like a peer at the level you aspire to be.
Come up with new ideas, identify gaps in the business, and anticipate challenges.
Solve problems quietly to build influence without authority.
Act like you're one level up to get noticed, promoted, or poached.
If skip-level meetings are available, use them to showcase your value and contributions.
The goal is to have senior leadership know, trust, and value you in case your boss tries to block your growth.

4. Building Your Brand Outside the Company:

Don't tie your entire professional identity to your current employer.
Build a name for yourself beyond the company's walls.
Optimize your LinkedIn profile and post content.
Speak at local meetups, write a blog, mentor someone, or teach something you've learned.
Being known outside the company makes it easier to find new opportunities if things go wrong.
A toxic boss can slow you down, but they can't stop a good reputation from opening doors.
Your reputation follows you throughout your career.

5. Protecting Your Mindset:

Working for a less competent boss can be frustrating and demoralizing.
Remind yourself that the situation is temporary and you are building leverage, experience, and reputation.
If the situation hurts your mental health or blocks career growth, consider escalating it strategically.
Align yourself with senior leaders respectfully.
Hopefully, you have an ally at a higher level who can help you out of the situation.

6. Knowing When to Walk Away:

Sometimes the organization itself is the problem, with a boss who undermines you or senior leaders who support them.
If you've done everything right and things aren't improving, it may be time to leave.
A job search becomes plan B.
If you've built your network, brand, and proof of performance, you'll have options.
Future employers will respect perseverance, but not at the expense of your career.

7. Conclusion:

Avoid challenging your boss publicly.
Build influence with key people and make your work unstealable.
Act one level up and get on the radar of your boss's boss.
Build your reputation outside the company and protect your mindset.
Know when it's time to walk away and take control of your career.
The speaker promotes "A Life After Layoff" with free career advice and training courses like "Unlocking LinkedIn" and "Career Strategy".
The ultimate goal is to act like the CEO of your own career.

Notable Quotes:

"Insecure bosses don't get better, they get vengeful."
"You don't need a title to start acting like a leader."
"If your entire professional identity is tied to your company, you are giving somebody else way too much control over your career."
"Sometimes a job search is the only real option. It's not plan A, but it might be plan B."
"...when you're smarter than your boss and you're stuck behind them, there's no better time to start acting like the CEO of your career."