Yesterday afternoon, I was in my office working on two new campaigns... The boss comes by and starts talking to a coworker. I can't help but overhear. He is really being an ass to her. Talking to her like she's 4. They get on speakerphone with our company's account support team - he's being an ass to them too - the support person has enough of him and puts on a supervisor who is fed up with him too - hearing her tone with the boss was a hoot. I wish I could have seen her expression.

The call ends.

Then the boss just lays into her. Talking down to her. She's getting really frustrated. He continues going on and on. She tells him they need to stop now. But he continues.

I don't really interact with this co-worker much, but I really wanted to slap him for being such a bully to her. Demeaning her.

I try to diffuse the situation to let him know I won't be in his morning meeting - I have a referral appointment that is a good hike away at 9am. He said "reschedule it for 10am". I explained that I already have an 11:30, a 2, and a 3:15. It's a contractor that can only meet at 9. I say "It's the end of the month. Wouldn't you like the revenue?" (Sitting in his exhausting meeting will not lead to business.) He just gave me a look of disdain. (Feeling's mutual!)

Then he tells her to go to his office. She knows what is about to happen. We make eye contact. (I would have needed a bottle of Patron and a ball-gag to go in for one of those 'one on ones'.

She's in there for well over an hour. I get up to go to the printer, etc - see her sitting there - body language said it wasn't good.

When she gets back to her office, I ask if she's ok. She said "he made me cry again." The he asked her why she was crying.

(I would have said "Because I am a human being and humans have emotion.")

She said "Because I am a girl."
(Rolling eyes. PLEASE!)

Still - a 'manager' that makes multiple employees cry is NOT an effective manager.

Thursday was a sucky day. I closed a large deal last Friday that needed to be fast-tracked as it's promoting an event 14 days away. Discussions with implementation team in the days leading up to the deal being closed to make sure it was do-able. I was told to call Monday at 10am to give them the heads up. I did that. Was told it was fast-tracked and it should be up by Wednesday.

"Up by Wednesday usually means going live around 6pm". So Wednesday night, I am checking, it's not.  Thursday am at 10, I call and I'm told it wasn't fast-tracked and I would have needed my manager's approval.

This sort of stuff irritates me to no end. I walk into my boss' office and ask his assistance. He starts telling me I shoulda done this, I shoulda done that. (He has no clue what had transpired in the previous week.) Then he starts getting into things with me....

I tell him I have to leave in 15 minutes to make my 11am appt. He rolls his eyes at me. (seriously). He says I'm 'always rushing'.  (I run the most appointments in the office consistently and I have, numerically, a large number of clients that require attention, so I'm at the office before 7am and often working until 10pm and weekends... Does he think I'm lolly-gagging around?)

Then he tells me that he is "always" dealing with "complaints" with "most of my clients". I ask him who and what the beef is. He says it 'isn't important'. I say it certainly is. (I've been recognized as having some of the highest client retention in the country so I find this... bullshit.) Then he tells me that he crosses paths with people that have "met" me or "interacted" with me in networking functions and says that "consistently and unsolicited" they "always" say that I have "no integrity".

Seriously?

I don't claim to be perfect by any means, but I walk away from deals because I don't think the client can benefit. I help people all the time - regardless of getting revenue from them. I'm invited several times a month to speak because I seem to offer something of value.

I tell him that I'm open to constructive feedback but these generalities are not helpful. If he can come up with some concrete examples, then I'm more than willing to take them to heart.

He said that we needed to talk 'philosophy'. I told him again, I prefer the facts, no innuendo, black and white. Otherwise he's wasting my time and NOT being very effective at managing me.

It was 10:55 - he got mad that I said I had to go. He actually TOLD me I could stand up. (I was already standing.)

After my meeting, I texted him saying that I was open to feedback but again, I needed concrete examples.

I'm told to make 200 calls and book at least 7 appts every Monday. I book 9-10. I jump through every hoop that is asked of me. I endure his completely ridiculous sales meetings 3x a week lasting for 90+ minutes where he recounts how he was top rep at x company, where he cured malaria, invented sunshine, and how he's never had alcohol or caffeine (or sex). I 'take notes' when I'm really using the time to coordinate my day and things I need to do. I don't socialize with most of my coworkers because they spin gossip about other people. I don't want to be around them. Others party too much.

So in the painful Friday am meeting - he tells the office (not naming me) about his recantation of what went on with my deal not being fast-tracked. But his 'version' held NO resemblance to what actually went down. It was his way of trying to rub my face in it publicly.

I called him later. I got in his face. He was starting with this "you should have done this..." I reminded him that he was COMPLETELY unaccessible the previous week and that he didn't even know the FACTS.  That in the past, he tells me to call the implementation team, to not rely on email - I spoke to the head person in implementation numerous times leading up to the deal getting done. She told me what to do. I did it. He started to say that I should have followed up more. I told him that on MONDAY I was told it would be two days so I didn't feel it was necessary to get in their ass about it.

Since I've been back from leave in April - the ONLY interaction I have had with him is texting him to say "I have another deal I need you to sign" and his reply to "leave on his chair". Over 4 months. Our office has doubled in size since he's been here. Yet our numbers continue to decline. (Wonder if there may be a connection?) My numbers have increased steadily. I don't require babysitting by a manager - but I am NOT going to tolerate being personally attacked. I have ZERO respect for him. He's arrogant and rude and completely clueless about how to interact with others.

I think after the experience Thursday, I have negative respect for him. And two more of my customers that are "always complaining about" me - renewed for a year each and INCREASED what they were spending. (Sounds dissatisfied don't they?)