How To Deal With a Boss Who Doesn’t Listen

(Office Bantomime edition)

Every office has one: the manager who hears everything but listens to nothing. You raise workload issues, and they shrug. You chase that salary review, and they grin while telling you, “It’s non-negotiable.” You flag a risk that could burn the business down, and they wave you off with a “we’ll deal with it later.”

The result? You feel like you’re screaming into a void. Welcome to the corporate Olympics of Not Listening Bosses™.

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While the other 79% are staring blankly into Teams calls, that lack of engagement costs the global economy $8.9 trillion a year. Yes, trillion. Imagine what your boss could do if they actually listened—they could probably save a small country.

The “Doesn’t Listen” Greatest Hits

🎵 Track 1: The Staffing Shuffle

You: “We don’t have enough staff.”
Them: “We’ll make it work.”
Translation: “Enjoy your burnout.”

Fix it: Stop appealing to feelings—bring cold, hard numbers: backlog size, missed deadlines, or SLA breaches. Managers can ignore your voice, but they struggle to ignore a spreadsheet.

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“Posts about difficult work dynamics, leadership struggles, and office politics — with a humorous twist.”

Office BantomimeJames Mason

🎵 Track 2: Broken Promises – Acoustic Version

They promised extra help by September. It’s now November.
They promised a budget. You’re still using the same broken stapler.

Fix it: Keep a “Promise Log.” Every time they commit, follow up with an email summary. Nothing terrifies a dodgy boss like their own words in writing.

🎵 Track 3: The Salary Stonewall

You: “I’ve delivered record results this year.”
Them: “Salary reviews are non-negotiable.”
Translation: “We love your work, but not enough to pay you.”

Fix it: If pay is stuck, consider alternative recognition currencies—such as title bumps, training budget, or visibility in leadership meetings. And quietly update your CV.

🎵 Track 4: The “My Way or the Highway” Remix

Every meeting becomes a dictatorship. Their idea is law. Yours? A minor footnote.

Fix it: Offer an experiment with a kill switch: “Let’s test my approach for 2 weeks with metrics. If it fails, we go your way.” Even dictators like trials—save face.

Meet the Office Charity Hero: Fundraising Legend, Workplace Ghost

He raises money for every cause but won’t lift a finger to help your project. Meet the Office Charity Hero—more JustGiving links than job description, and smugger than a sponsored selfie.

Office BantomimeJames Mason

🎵 Track 5: The Feedback Black Hole

You pour your heart into a presentation. Your boss nods vaguely, mutters “interesting,” and then… silence. Feedback? Never arrives.

Fix it: Push for specifics: “What would make this 20% better?” Forces them to move from abstract to concrete.

🎵 Track 6: Meeting Hijack Blues

Team meeting? Nope—it’s the “boss show.” They dominate airtime, interrupt every sentence, and the agenda dies a slow death.

Fix it: Suggest round-robins or time-boxed updates. If that fails, try post-meeting notes to reinsert what was ignored.

🎵 Track 7: The Idea Theft Shuffle

You suggest something. They ignore it. Two weeks later, they re-present your idea as their own. Classic remix.

Fix it: Always leave a paper trail (emails, chat logs). “As mentioned in my note on X date…” politely reclaims ownership.

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🎵 Track 8: The Mood Swing Symphony

One day they’re approachable; the next they’re a thundercloud. Team input depends on whether they had a decent coffee that morning.

Fix it: Anchor convos to neutral, fact-based updates. Less weather-dependent.

🎵 Track 9: The Exit Interview Encore

They finally “listen” when you resign. Suddenly, your workload, salary, and concerns are urgent priorities—too little, too late.

Fix it: By then? Use the encore to get a good reference and move on.

Who’s worse: CEOs or middle managers?

• CEOs set the tone. If the big boss rolls their eyes at feedback, the culture becomes a “shut up and work” factory.
• Middle managers are the daily offenders. They’re squeezed from above and often pass that pressure down—making them both the villains and the victims.

Are female bosses better listeners?

On average, research shows women leaders lean more toward participative, coaching styles. Does that mean all women listen and all men don’t? Absolutely not. But statistically, you might get more of a “let’s talk” vibe from a female boss and more of a “get on with it” vibe from a male one.

Survival guide for employees of deaf-eared bosses

1. Bulletproof your 1:1s – Bring three bullets: Wins, Risks, Asks. Stick to the facts.
2. Use scripts – e.g., “To deliver Project X, we need +1 FTE or to cut Task Y. Which option do you prefer?”
3. Build alliances – Compare notes with colleagues. One voice is a “complaint,” five voices are “evidence.”
4. Set boundaries – Don’t let their dysfunction bleed into your evenings. If the pattern doesn’t change, update that LinkedIn headline.

The kicker

Google found the #1 predictor of team success is psychological safety—people feeling safe to speak up. If your boss kills that, your team won’t just be quieter—it’ll be weaker.

So, if you’re stuck under a boss who doesn’t listen?

• Back yourself up with documentation
• Protect your mental health.
• And remember: the most powerful listening move might be the one you make to a recruiter.