Setting Boundaries with the Boss

Paul, a professional librarian, opens up about his challenging relationship with his boss Sharon. He explains how he initially slipped into a codependent role, feeling responsible for her work performance. Over time, Paul began to realize that Sharon's behavior was familiar due to his upbringing and parent with narcissistic tendencies. As his career progressed, he recognized the lack of support from Sharon unless it fit her narrative. When the pandemic hit and they started working from home, Paul took the opportunity to reset boundaries. He stopped engaging in non-work-related conversations and set limits on after-work texts. However, Sharon struggled with these changes. In a recent performance evaluation, she rated Paul lowest in ability to deal with others, which he interpreted as passive-aggressive. Paul seeks advice on how to address the situation with Sharon and set clearer boundaries.