When your boss is a beast

August 29, 7:45 PMJobs and Careers ExaminerKristina Cowan

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BusinessWeek recently published a list of tips from an anonymous reader on how to manage a "toxic boss." The reader explains that he "has temper tantrums, screams, uses obscenities to me on the phone, plays my colleagues off against each other, and goes into long, nonproductive tirades about customers, the industry, and members of his staff."

He sounds like the classic workplace bully. But the reader says she loves her job and excels at it, so she doesn't quit; she simply uses "a formula for dealing with him." Her arsenal of tricks includes carving out part of each day to cater to his needs, hanging up the phone on him when he throws a fit, and over-responding to his pet peeves.

This worker's plan sounds as if it works for her. But not all employees have the patience to deal with a bully--nor should they. I wrote a piece earlier this month for My Global Career examining workplace bullying, a fairly common trend in the workplace. About 54 million people, or 37 percent of American workers, have been bullied at work, according to a September 2007 survey conducted by Zogby International for the Workplace Bullying Institute. Most bullies also happen to be bosses, the survey says: 72 percent of bullies are bosses, and 55 percent of those bullied are rank-and-file workers.

Bullying is likely to lead people to quit, or, in certain cases, put up a counter-fight. Experts say it's often difficult for an employee to fight workplace bullying. Employers are in a much better position to squelch the scourge, according to experts, by drafting policies against bullying and adopting zero-tolerance strategies.

If your boss is a bully and you can't find a "formula" for coping, or the higher-ups won't help, you can always (stealthily) search for a new gig.

Readers, have you been bullied by a boss, or witnessed bullying in the workplace?