Employee Leaves Boss With No Instructions After They Got Demoted, Costs Them $1.3M

It’s hard working for a boss who doesn’t appreciate you or the work you do. We can find plenty of stories about horrible bosses and their antics on the Internet. The lesson in most of them is that employees should not be afraid to stand up for themselves. A healthy dose of malicious compliance or petty revenge can sometimes be the best medicine against a jerk boss.

The OP of this story certainly wasn’t afraid to stand their ground. When an incompetent boss broke the news about a demotion, the OP came up with a genius revenge strategy. Read on for the whole story and see people’s reactions to the OP’s strategy below.

Dealing with bad bosses is never easy. Bosses that exhibit narcissistic traits may be the most toxic. In a previous interview for Bored Panda, leadership coach Louise Carnachan said that narcissistic leaders might not be afraid to throw their employees under the bus instead of taking the blame themselves. "Everything is about their gain," Carnachan explained.

How does one deal with such a boss? The leadership coach advised our readers to be friendly with them but not to try and get inside their inner circle. "It may not feel as good to stay out of the chosen group, but it's a lot safer," Carnachan explained.

"Do not give them any personal information that is important to you because they are not beyond using it to demean or threaten. Don't gossip about other employees with them. And look for job opportunities away from this person unless it's clear they'll cycle through quickly."

What to some may seem like bullying or harassment might simply be poor communication. Carnachan advised not to mix up the two. While the latter is just annoying, the former is illegal.

"Report harassment through whatever channels are available to employees (union, boss's boss, human resources, EEOC, whistle-blower hotline, ombuds office.) [Worrying] about retaliation keeps many from reporting, but if there are enough of you, you can form a coalition," Louise Carnachan told Bored Panda back then.

The boss in OP's story had no regard for the employee's time. Writing up a technical manual in one day is in no way possible. Demoting a worker because you can't hire another person willing to accept the offer for a small salary is another sign of poor leadership.

It's no wonder the OP chose to quit immediately. According to the Pew Research Center, 35% of Americans resign because they don't feel respected at work. Being respectful to your employees is a vital characteristic for every person in a leadership position.

Leadership expert Robyn L Garrett told Bored Panda before that good bosses prioritize their people over profit. "A company – especially a modern company – is nothing without talented workers that care. Give them the resources they need and help them feel safe, respected, and valued."

When Bored Panda spoke to Louise Carnachan earlier, she also told us how bad leaders can be born. "Most people are thrown into leadership positions because they've been there a while and were very good at their job – not because they've demonstrated competence in leading others, which is a totally different job."

"Unless you've had a role model to follow, you're probably at sea about what to do. Leadership training and coaching can help immensely, but not every organization makes this available. There are many good books and leadership classes you can take on your own or through your professional organization."

"The commonalities of great leaders are that they ask questions, listen, know something about their direct reports lives (as in, what's important to them, not by being intrusively personal), they tell people what they are doing well and what they appreciate, are clear about goals and direction, have high expectations of themselves and their team members, don't shy away from difficult conversations, and aren't afraid to admit when they make a mistake."

"These are people who are not only respected, they often are the role models for future leaders. Not surprisingly, former staff members stay in touch with them after they leave because they have been mentors, not just bosses."