Insecure supervisor

Dear F@W
I have not one, but two bosses! My direct supervisor and I are about the same age and have similar experiences – basically, I could do her job but I don’t ever rub that in. My other boss is the GM and he really knows his stuff. I admire him; we get along and joke around. Lately my supervisor has turned nasty. She bosses me around like I’m incompetent. She shuts down my ideas in meetings. It’s like she’s out to get me.My head tells me she’s insecure and just can’t deal with the fact that the GM likes me and that I’m just as capable as she is but I’m also outspoken and not about to take her shit. I’ve never done anything to make her feel threatened by me and I’ve always respected her but she’s crossing the line and I’m about to do or say something I might regret. Any suggestions?
-Kimberly, Providence, RI

Dear Kimberly
Whenever a relationship that you have with someone in the office gets strained, you have take steps to strengthen it. My suggestion is that you go for lunch with your direct supervisor, and talk casually with her about how things are going in the office. If she complains about something, ask her if there is anything you can do to help. Even if she refuses your offer, it will cause her to view you in a different light, and after a few lunches where you extend an offer to help, her suspicion of you will start to subside.