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This is in the context of a UK work culture.

I work in a small isolated team with a chronically irritable manager. I wouldn't go as far as to describe him as angry but he's certainly not merely abrupt/rude. He does a lot of snapping at people, and the rare "shouting down" of employees he's not happy with.

I've not had a manager that's been like this before, but this is only my 5th professional job and the other coworkers don't seem to take issue with his approach. I've heard tales of similar managers from friends so this might just be part of normal UK office culture?

I personally have trouble from overreacting/my own emotions from his management style. Is there anything I can do to handle this?

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    You get all sorts of managers anywhere in the World. It's just some peoples style. Is he competent at getting projects done on time etc?
    – Kilisi
    Mar 2, 2022 at 12:36
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    It certainly shouldn't be part of a normal office culture in the UK.
    – Simon B
    Mar 2, 2022 at 13:49
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    Shouting is never acceptable in the workplace. There are other questions and answers on this site dealing with angry and shouting managers/teammembers. But the question "is this normal?" can be answered: "no.".
    – jwsc
    Mar 2, 2022 at 14:15
  • @jwsc Thanks, for the response, and apologies, I didn't see the other questions on dealing with angry superiors. Mar 3, 2022 at 12:02

2 Answers 2

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First, just to let you know, shouting at anyone in the workplace is not helpful. It almost always comes across as rude and someone lacking self discipline.

If he ever shouts at you:

  • Be sure to state directly and plainly to not shout at you. He may be a manager, but still need to treat his team members professionally

  • Dont raise your voice or lose your temper in return. You can be assertive and yet, still maintain your composure. This does not mean you are a pushover, but someone who knows the bounds of workplace behavior.

  • Look for opportunity to document his behavior for evidence if you want to make a formal complaint.

Others can be rude and unprofessional, but you dont have to have such behavior affect your behavior. Set an example and show others you arw not affected by such unprofessional behavior

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I've dealt with such a manager on my previous job. For the first few years he was just a peer and I didn't interact with him much. But when he became the manager of the team it quickly started to become a problem for me (and some coworkers). Some of the coworkers didn't really have a problem with it, but for me it was hard to deal with. I've tried talking to him (as well as a conversation with him and HR (who were usually very helpful at that company)), but nothing helped. In the end I had to look for another job, because it was taking a toll on my mental health. I still have friends at that company and even though several people have left because of his behavior (and all had a talk with him about it), he still hasn't changed according to them.

While some people might say to just ignore it, not everyone is capable of that. So while I definitely encourage you to try to just ignore it or have a conversation with the manager, don't be afraid to look for another job (in the same company or somewhere else) if it doesn't work out for you. It can cause serious problems for your mental health if you're unable to handle it properly.

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  • Thanks, this account mirrors my own and is very insightful! (Although I'm not at the point of leaving yet) Mar 3, 2022 at 12:01

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