Tell Me About Your “Bad Boss” Experience

[Slippy Chips]

If you’ve had one I’d like to hear about how you handled it. I imagine this board has some interesting perspectives and stories.

This is new to me. I’m fortunate enough to have only had amazing managers before. I’m in sales and I’ve done really well for a long time. I’ve moved my way up the food chain. Several promotions. Many special projects. Lots of accolades and recognition etc.

About 10 months ago I got this new manager who snuck in to the company through the back door. She’s never done my job before but that hasn’t stopped her from insisting on doing things the wrong way. We butted heads at first (a lot) but eventually I yielded and did things her way... needless to say our sales numbers dropped. Pressure was applied things have steadily gone sideways. Even today she was doubling-down on her failed strategies.

Then I got my review for last year and it was a complete abomination. The type of review that is hard to explain away in an interview. And yet there was very little substance to it. No real specifics of note and no meaningful suggestions for improvement. She didn’t like my body language one time at a meeting 8 months ago??? Petty things that I was completely unaware of and could have been addressed at the time. The chair was broken and uncomfortable. Had nothing to do with her or the meeting or my motivation. She clearly has it out for me, possibly because I challenged her early on.

Something has to change but I don’t feel like I have any leverage now that I have this sad review hung around my neck.

Anyhow, I have an opportunity to drop way back “down the food chain” to what is essentially an entry level sales position in my industry. I’d be home at night with my 4 kids. Good boss. Maybe a chance to regroup and reset. My company would even keep my pay relatively the same (but the top end would be reduced significantly). But it also might absolutely tank my career. In sales you don’t back down on a challenge. I worked my tail off to get out of that entry level position years ago so going back to it willingly now seems odd.

So do I keep at it here and possibly let my boss sabotage my career OR do I sabotage my own career by going back down and start the climb again?