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One of the Worst Ten Bosses:
The Gaslight Guru
Story submitted by Annabel
Having a problem with reimbursements at work, I asked a colleague if she had similar issues.
Having the same issues, my colleague felt the need to raise it in a team meeting.
Our boss went ballistic, berating her for 30 minutes for being “unprofessional” and daring to question to accounts team.
Later, in my 1:1, I got my turn: an hour-long monologue. I was apparently the root of all chaos—making staff leave, failing in my role, ruining the business—despite just having my contract reviewed a month earlier with praise.
Apparently, talking to colleagues on office issues is forbidden.
Every corporate buzzword was hurled at me: “fit for purpose,” “bandwidth-challenged,” “mission-critical,” “play the ball not the people.” 🙄
When she finally paused, she asked, “So… you’re OK? Have a lovely weekend.” And just like that, I had to return to work, stunned, wondering how exactly one survives a “lovely” weekend following that performance.
👀 Our Take
When feedback becomes a tirade, it stops being leadership and starts being abuse. This is psychological intimidation, not management.
🧠 Could this have been avoided?
Yes. Addressing issues transparently, encouraging questions, and owning mistakes builds credibility instead of destroying morale.
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