What do you think is my boss’ motive?

[Anonymous]

Help me and my coworkers figure out the motive of our new boss!

Old boss retired, then after months of searches and interviews, they finally hired someone new. He started out really nice, was warm, and seemed like a team player. Then all of a sudden there was a shift and he became extremely contrarian and hostile. People are quitting (myself included; I have a new job already lined up, I’m just waiting.)

At first we thought he might have been hired to thin out or even eliminate our department, and his motive was to make things miserable so everyone would leave. And it seemed to be working. But now that people ARE leaving, and in hordes, it’s almost as though he’s panicking? He’s rarely in the office, and has commandeered everyone’s personnel files and hidden them somewhere and refuses to do any background/reference interviews. It’s like suddenly he doesn’t want people to leave? So thinning us out wasn’t his motive?

So what in the world could be his motive to be so hostile and make our department miserable?

[Anonymous]

He’s just super ineffective.

Never attribute to malice that which is adequately explained by stupidity.

There is no deep and detailed plan. He’s just dumb.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:He’s just super ineffective.

Never attribute to malice that which is adequately explained by stupidity.

There is no deep and detailed plan. He’s just dumb.

Agreed. Few companies are going to intentionally make employees miserable in an effort to get them to leave, it opens them up to too much potential liability. I think he is likely just really bad at his job, and now that everyone is leaving, he realizes that it reflects badly on his leadership.

[Anonymous]

Hard to say without examples of him being hostile.

My best guess. He was genuinely excited at first. Something happened to piss him off. Possibly personal but more likely in his dealings with upper management. The job wasn't what he expected and he lashed out. Now it's even worse because he is losing people and can't cope.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Hard to say without examples of him being hostile.

My best guess. He was genuinely excited at first. Something happened to piss him off. Possibly personal but more likely in his dealings with upper management. The job wasn't what he expected and he lashed out. Now it's even worse because he is losing people and can't cope.

OP here and you just might be right. I think the shift occurred around the time he made a BIG change that everyone vehemently disagreed with. He was also warned he’d probably lose people to this change, and he called our bluff and lost. He’s been an absolute nightmare since then, but also passive aggressive? Saying things like, “Let them leave! I don’t care.” But obviously you do care? Because now you’re making it harder for people to leave?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:He’s just super ineffective.

Never attribute to malice that which is adequately explained by stupidity.

There is no deep and detailed plan. He’s just dumb.

We’ve been wracking our brains, but I love this. Seems like such a simple answer!

[Anonymous]

If I had to guess, I’m imagining he came in with grandiose plans that he couldn’t achieve, then became defensive. He bit off more than he could chew, so to speak.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Hard to say without examples of him being hostile.

My best guess. He was genuinely excited at first. Something happened to piss him off. Possibly personal but more likely in his dealings with upper management. The job wasn't what he expected and he lashed out. Now it's even worse because he is losing people and can't cope.

OP here and you just might be right. I think the shift occurred around the time he made a BIG change that everyone vehemently disagreed with. He was also warned he’d probably lose people to this change, and he called our bluff and lost. He’s been an absolute nightmare since then, but also passive aggressive? Saying things like, “Let them leave! I don’t care.” But obviously you do care? Because now you’re making it harder for people to leave?

Did he make everyone return to the office more than 2 days a week?

[Anonymous]

Your boss has exemplified the Peter Principle.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Your boss has exemplified the Peter Principle.

Wow. I didn’t even know this was a thing, but this new guy totally fits the bill!

[Anonymous]

Go to HR

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Hard to say without examples of him being hostile.

My best guess. He was genuinely excited at first. Something happened to piss him off. Possibly personal but more likely in his dealings with upper management. The job wasn't what he expected and he lashed out. Now it's even worse because he is losing people and can't cope.

This. need examples.

He was happy and excited about the position. Maybe overshared personally.

Then discovered something unexpected - new goals, something from the seniors, or found a mess of some sort.

Now he’s distancing himself from the mess.

What kind of place is this that people leave and find new jobs within a matter of weeks?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Hard to say without examples of him being hostile.

My best guess. He was genuinely excited at first. Something happened to piss him off. Possibly personal but more likely in his dealings with upper management. The job wasn't what he expected and he lashed out. Now it's even worse because he is losing people and can't cope.

OP here and you just might be right. I think the shift occurred around the time he made a BIG change that everyone vehemently disagreed with. He was also warned he’d probably lose people to this change, and he called our bluff and lost. He’s been an absolute nightmare since then, but also passive aggressive? Saying things like, “Let them leave! I don’t care.” But obviously you do care? Because now you’re making it harder for people to leave?

Way to go. Drive everyone out and him yourself by being stubborn and narrow minded.

Don’t like change.

Maybe your old way is FAR from industry standards and best practices?
Maybe half the team has sour grapes and wanted that position themselves.

Par for the course taking over a group of babies.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Hard to say without examples of him being hostile.

My best guess. He was genuinely excited at first. Something happened to piss him off. Possibly personal but more likely in his dealings with upper management. The job wasn't what he expected and he lashed out. Now it's even worse because he is losing people and can't cope.

OP here and you just might be right. I think the shift occurred around the time he made a BIG change that everyone vehemently disagreed with. He was also warned he’d probably lose people to this change, and he called our bluff and lost. He’s been an absolute nightmare since then, but also passive aggressive? Saying things like, “Let them leave! I don’t care.” But obviously you do care? Because now you’re making it harder for people to leave?

Did he make everyone return to the office more than 2 days a week?

Lol.

Wash DC unproductive crybabies.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Help me and my coworkers figure out the motive of our new boss!

Old boss retired, then after months of searches and interviews, they finally hired someone new. He started out really nice, was warm, and seemed like a team player. Then all of a sudden there was a shift and he became extremely contrarian and hostile. People are quitting (myself included; I have a new job already lined up, I’m just waiting.)

At first we thought he might have been hired to thin out or even eliminate our department, and his motive was to make things miserable so everyone would leave. And it seemed to be working. But now that people ARE leaving, and in hordes, it’s almost as though he’s panicking? He’s rarely in the office, and has commandeered everyone’s personnel files and hidden them somewhere and refuses to do any background/reference interviews. It’s like suddenly he doesn’t want people to leave? So thinning us out wasn’t his motive?

So what in the world could be his motive to be so hostile and make our department miserable?

Trust you write this mumbo jumbo claiming in 4+ sentences not to know Why oh why this is happening. Yet don’t say what is happening besides people leaving.

Then you later post and disclose the New Boss made a “big change.” Yet don’t say what it is.