No matter how many times your boss tells you that they treat their employees “like family,” it’s important to remember that the only person you can truly count on at work is yourself. So you better watch your back!
One woman recently posted a story on the Malicious Compliance subreddit detailing how a former manager went out of her way to sabotage her career. But before getting fired, she managed to take her toxic boss down with her! Below, you’ll find the full story, as well as a conversation with career coach Twanna Carter, PhD.
This woman was fired simply for following her manager’s orders
Image credits: Canva Studio (not the actual photo)
But before leaving the company, she made sure to expose her toxic boss
Image credits: Tima Miroshnichenko (not the actual photo)
Image credits: Anete Lusina (not the actual photo)
Later, the woman added a few more details about the situation
Image source: powderedtoastsupreme
Unfortunately, it's not uncommon for bosses to sabotage their own employees
To gain more insight on this topic, we reached out to career coach Twanna Carter, PhD. Twanna was kind enough to have a chat with Bored Panda and discuss how common it is for bosses to sabotage their own employees. "Unfortunately, I have experienced this firsthand," she shared. "I had a supervisor who actively sabotaged my attempts to apply for job changes within the organization. It was extremely frustrating! I resolved the issue by changing jobs and moving to another company."
Twanna noted that one particularly bad example of this involved a coworker of hers. "Our boss told the higher headquarters staff that this coworker was incompetent and couldn’t be trusted to follow through on tasks. In reality, my coworker was performing about 30% of the supervisor’s job," she explained. "It was the supervisor who didn’t follow through. However, due to these false accusations, my coworker was unable to secure a position anywhere else within the directorate nationwide."
"In the military, we referred to this tactic as 'poisoning the well,'" the expert says. "A boss would subtly or overtly malign a subordinate’s work and competency. By the time the employee realized what was happening, it was often too late to recover within the organization. The employee was forced to transition to another unit to try and salvage their career."
Twanna says another fairly common method of sabotage is overloading employees with an unmanageable number of tasks or projects in a short period. "This sets the employee up for failure because it’s nearly impossible to complete everything to standard within the allotted time," she shared. "I’ve had clients come to me for coaching who were overwhelmed, burned out, extremely low confidence, and close to exhaustion. Because they didn’t recognize that they were being effectively managed out by a sabotaging boss."
"Additionally, some managers consistently give low evaluation ratings and criticize employees to keep them from realizing their true value," the career coach added. "This is done to prevent the employee from leaving for another job where their skills would be more appreciated. This tactic often works because the longer you work under a sabotaging boss, the more your confidence and self-esteem erode."
"Thorough documentation and professional coaching are key strategies for protecting yourself if you suspect your boss of sabotaging you"
We also asked Twanna for advice for anyone who thinks their boss might be out to get them. "One of the most crucial steps an employee can take is to document everything meticulously," she told Bored Panda. "However, avoid using the company’s computer systems for this documentation, as corporate IT departments can often monitor employee activity. I know this because I used to sit with our corporate IT folks as they monitored employees' computers! Be cautious and use personal devices for recording your notes whenever possible."
The expert recommends thinking of documentation like creating a concise reel, TikTok video, or YouTube short. "You don’t need to write lengthy reports but focus on capturing the essential details," she explained.
"Use the 5 Ws you learned in grade school to guide your documentation: Who did What? Who else observed, heard, or read What happened When did it happen? Where did it happen? What time did it happen? (Exact times are ideal, but at least record the date.) How many times did it happen if it’s recurring? How did you react? How did they react? How did you feel? What did you do When it happened? (e.g., Who did you talk to? Who did you report it to?)"
Twanna also says investing in an experienced career coach can be invaluable for your success. "I’ve had clients who initially sought my help for anxiety and job performance issues, only for us to uncover that they were being sabotaged by their boss and managed out of their roles," she shared. "Through our coaching sessions, all were able to either save their jobs or transition to better opportunities with their reputations intact. Thorough documentation and professional coaching are key strategies for protecting yourself if you suspect your boss of sabotaging you at work."
As far as why record keeping is so important, Twanna told Bored Panda, "It ensures your side of the story is documented and can reveal patterns of behavior. When employees face difficult situations, their fight or flight mechanisms are triggered, making it easy to feel isolated and believe they’re the only ones experiencing such issues."
"By meticulously documenting communications and interactions, you protect yourself and create a comprehensive record that can support your case if needed"
"However, many times, managers have a history of similar behavior with other employees," the expert added. "Whether you’re the first or the fifteenth person facing this sabotage, maintaining detailed records helps to establish these patterns, which can be critical if you decide to take legal action."
Some of the most effective ways of keeping track of this information are: email records, meeting notes, incident logs, screenshots and copies, voice memos, and backing up your computer regularly. "By meticulously documenting communications and interactions, you protect yourself and create a comprehensive record that can support your case if needed," Twanna noted.
She also says to keep your documentation activities confidential. "When workplace sabotage occurs, colleagues might turn on you as a survival method to avoid becoming targets themselves. Maintaining discretion is essential to protect yourself and your evidence," Twanna explained.
"Additionally, get support from your circle of trusted friends. If you feel you don't have adequate support, a career coach can help you navigate through this tough time," she. told Bored Panda. "Don't hesitate to reach out to a therapist if you feel your mental and emotional health are suffering. The stress and frustration can leave you with no confidence and feeling like a failure. Both professional support and personal connections are crucial for maintaining your well-being and resilience."
We would love to hear your thoughts on this story in the comments below, pandas. Do you think this woman’s former manager got what was coming to her? Feel free to share, and then check out this Bored Panda piece detailing malicious compliance in the workplace!
Readers were quick to share their thoughts, and the woman joined in on the conversation
Many applauded her for taking the manager down, and some shared their own tips for protecting yourself in a toxic workplace
