Alright, grab your beer—let’s settle in for a story from later in my career, when I thought I had it all figured out. I’d hit a sweet spot, you know? I was doing the job for my own satisfaction—money was good, the culture was solid, and we were getting things done. But, as always, things change.
I’d had plenty of bosses over the years, some great, some not so great. Then upper management shook things up, and my immediate boss—the best I ever had—got reassigned. I knew the new boss would be a step down, but I never dreamed it’d turn into one of the worst experiences I’d ever had with a leader.
This new manager was green, so I cut them some slack at first. They loved to quote famous management gurus, especially Simon Sinek. Now, Sinek’s got some killer insights—total expert. But when your boss is constantly tossing out quotes with zero follow-through, it gets old fast. All talk, no action. That was the first red flag.
The real trouble started with expectations—or the lack of them. I’d try to pin down what they wanted, and the boss would just shrug, “You know your job, just do it.” So, the team would bust our butts, only to find out later the boss had a different idea or had changed what we promised customers without telling us. We’d be left scrambling, looking like amateurs. Bad communication? Oh yeah. Strike one.
Then came the scapegoat game. This boss always had someone to throw under the bus—calling them out in front of the whole team. Sometimes it was random griping; other times it was straight-up nasty, like, “Let me tell you what your dumb teammate did.” They played favorites hard, letting some teammates bully and intimidate while publicly chewing out others for standing up for themselves, accusing them of “lacking empathy.” I suggested keeping that stuff behind closed doors, but the boss waved me off like I was nothing. Strike two.
I thought I was staying above the mess—head down, doing my thing. But I was wrong. The final straw came when the boss pulled me aside and said, “Your team doesn’t trust you.” That hit hard. I trusted my team way more than I trusted this clown, so I called a team meeting to clear the air. Turns out, every single person—down to the boss’s lunch-break favorites—didn’t trust them. Everyone was fed up, and many were itching for a change.
When one of our newer teammates bailed to another team, I saw the writing on the wall. I wasn’t about to let this mess drag me down. I brought the issue to our higher-ups and HR, but all I got was lip service—no follow-up, no meetings, nothing. My personal brand matters to me, and I could feel this situation starting to tarnish it. Time to go. I followed the teammate’s lead and got out.
So, what’s the lesson from this lousy leader? When your boss is all talk, no clarity, and plays the blame game like a pro, don’t stick around waiting for change. Protect your own reputation and walk away—before their dysfunction becomes yours.
