I’m a career expert – this is how to tell if you have a toxic boss and what you can do to avoid falling victim to gaslighting

A career coach has revealed the signs your boss is screwing you over and how to overcome a toxic work environment to succeed at work.

Fiona Harold, a top executive coach, business mentor and consultant from Northern Irelandrevealed some key warning signs of a toxic boss, which you can spot by the way they treat people.

Speaking to FEMAIL, Fiona encouraged those struggling in the workplace to ‘take control’ of the situation and ‘not allow your wellbeing, happiness and career development to be jeopardized by one person’.

She shared her top red flags that indicate an unhealthy workplace and revealed her tools for coping.

Red flags at Fiona’s workplace

The first sign that your boss may be toxic is if he dismisses your concerns about the assignments you are given.

Fiona, author of Be your own life coach said, “If you are concerned about your ability to complete an assignment within the time given to you, your concern will be brushed aside.

“They may suggest that you exaggerate or overestimate the time required, or perhaps are a perfectionist, but your concerns are not considered or discussed.”

Another indicator of a bad manager is that he or she delays discussing your concerns – or even denies that such a conversation ever took place.

“If you ask for more time or miss the deadline, it denies that your previous conversation ever took place. Your boss says [they] I have no memory of the conversation,” Fiona said.

Being blamed for being late is also on the list of warning signs to look out for, the career expert said.

Fiona said:[Your boss] isolates and identifies [you] as the only reason why work is late, and [that] a chain of events is being held up by you.”

She added that because the finger is pointing at you, your peers may see you as the problem.

How can you protect yourself from toxic workplaces?

Fiona Harold, a top executive coach, business mentor and consultant, spoke to MailOnline about the warning signs in management behavior that you shouldn’t ignore

Fiona said those struggling with toxic office behavior should avoid confidential one-on-one conversations with their boss. Instead, they need to make sure others are present at meetings.

It is also important to have a conversation with your boss to resolve this issue.

‘Ask them for their recommendations. Do this in a clear, confident manner that does not give the impression that you are wrong or guilty of anything,” the coach said.

Another way to address this behavior is to always put agreements in writing and make sure you have a paper trail. This means that nothing can be denied and there is proof of what was said in conversations.

Reaching out to HR and getting a mentor can help ease tensions in the office.

“Ideally, this is someone higher up in the organization who understands the environment,” she says.

‘This is not a sign of weakness, but of ambition and commitment. It is crucial that you do not feel isolated and alone with this problem, but that you find the right way to get support.

Importantly, Fiona reminded people that it’s not their fault they’re being screwed over by their boss.

She said. ‘It is essential not to participate in dynamics that can make you feel like you have done something wrong. You could easily start to think that you have done something or have been negligent. See clearly that this person is behaving unprofessionally and that you do not deserve this treatment.”

The author said that bosses probably behave this way because they feel insecure about their abilities, especially if they have just received a promotion.

“A person who has self-confidence does not need to undermine another,” she added.

She added that it could also be a sign that they have narcissistic tendencies or suffer from mental health issues.