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Get the feeling that there's no reason to have a boss? Find that your boss accomplishes nothing at all?

Here are some suggestions on what to do when you work for a boss who is just dead wood.

1. Check your emotions. There are a number of reasons why you might think that your boss is just taking up space; some of them may be all in your head. Are you upset about being passed over for a promotion? Did the company hire a new guy rather than promoting from within and you just don't understand why? These underlying questions can cloud your judgment. Before looking for ways to deal with a boss who is dead wood, make sure that it's really the case.

2. Look at the big picture. What is your boss' job? This may seem like a trivial point to consider, but knowing what your boss is responsible for and knowing how much slack he or she might be picking up for others in your department is an important thing to take into consideration. In other words, look to see if there's more that's coming into play than just what you're seeing.

3. Figured out that it's not just you and, even taking everything else into account you still think your boss is dead wood? Now comes the next challenge: talk to your boss. Yes, it's normal to dread this. Yes, it's going to feel awkward. But it's important. You need to know if there's something going on that you can help with and your boss needs to know what you're thinking. With open communication, a lot of problems can be solved.

4. Give it enough time that your conversation can have an impact; change doesn't always happen immediately. Expecting everything to change by the next morning is unreasonable, however, if after a week there aren't even small changes that are noticeable, it's time to look for the next step.

5. Determine the right person to talk with. This is going to be uncomfortable, but if your boss is dead wood and is completely unwilling to do anything about it, you're going to need to take things to the next level. Once you know who to talk with, schedule a face to face meeting.

6. Are there co-workers who could go with you to the meeting and back you up? If so, talk to them about it to see if they'd be comfortable either going along or answering questions after you share their story. You should also determine how you feel about letting your boss know that you'll be going to the meeting: in some cases, especially if you have a great personal relationship with your boss, letting him or her know can help to prevent personal conflict.

If going through those steps does not help to change your situation, unfortunately you may want to look into moving on and finding a new position.

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