Worst boss you ever had.....

[Anonymous]

Passive aggressive, shoots down ideas, demands stuff, not a single pat on the back, or a word of encouragement.

[Anonymous]

I interned for someone very prominent in Hollywood (not an actor, think more behind the scenes). I was in my early twenties and she was early fifties at the time. I was the only female intern and think I only got the internship because I had a previous internship with another prominent woman in the film industry before that.

Anyway, it was me and two other male interns my age, both very good looking and one was an aspiring actor. She wouldn’t look me in the eye or speak to me - so I was basically invisible, but she was totally googly eyed over the male interns - especially the exceptionally good looking one. She would invite him to her second home with her and her family almost every weekend and fawn over him constantly. Bizarre and creepy.

It was so bizarre to work in a relatively small office and have the “boss” treat you like you were invisible while giving preferential treatment to the male interns. I swear she wanted something more from the one.

[Anonymous]

Obsessed with "lessons learned" and the notion that any legal case or portion thereof (the smallest procedural motion), if lost, was somehow a teachable moment rather than simply how life went.

As Star Trek teaches us, you can do everything right and still lose. Captain Jean Luc Picard.

[Anonymous]

He was the plant manager at a metal working company in the midwest. It was the 90s and the whole industry was dying, although everyone was in denial. I was fresh out of school and pushed into management but really had no clue.

One day, we learned he had a car accident and was in the hospital. The update was that he was in a company car in the "wrong" part of town and was drunk.

[Anonymous]

The insecure and anxious boss who needed constant affirmations that things were ok. He’d call on the weekends to chat about work. He loved zoom face time and would zoom me constantly to ask a simple yes/no question. I hated him.

[Anonymous]

Had a coworker from another team detail into my area. Yelled antisemitic nonsense at me. I complained. I was 23. FWIW this happened in an area of the country with very few Jews and I’d been called “the Jew” by a couple of people for a while so there was some pattern of behavior. The group was in many ways very dysfunctional. We also had someone who was sexually harassing everyone and I’d earlier been called into a meeting with my Boss to validate claims made by other women (I did).

Anyway, I was told that the person who had made the antisemitic comments would not come to my area anymore now that his detail was over. While I was on vacation they hired him as a permanent member. When I came back I complained and my boss told me that he told the Team Leader this would happen but the Team Leader didn’t understand why I was upset and they didn’t think I’d really leave. I moved to another area within a few weeks.

My Boss did help get my resume around and did provide a very high recommendation.

He wasn’t a mean person. He was a very weak person.

[Anonymous]

Different kinds of bad. The micromanager with panic attacks was a nightmare to report to, but fine as a colleague. The workaholic who expected my hours to be 7 am -10 pm and to respond to 3 am calls on Saturdays. I lasted less than a month. The gaslighting boss who would do anything to stay on top, which included daily public (verbal) lashings to show dominance. That thing that just happened, didn’t happen - you and the 20 other people in the room didn’t see anything…

As a woman, I hate to admit that my worst bosses were also women - but likely because we had somewhat of a competitive flavor to our relationships.

I’m a crappy boss to workers who need a lot of structure and oversight. Great for those who want to do their own thing and check in when they need help.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Mine was also as a nanny.

The dad was interviewing for some huge job and he went outside to leave and his car wouldn't start. This was pre-uber days so I offered him my 20 year old car that I kept in really clean, well maintained condition (and drove his baby around every day in). Instead of saying thank you, on the way out of the house he looked right at me and said "I can't believe I'm showing up to this interview in a suit that costs more than the car I'm driving".

They were first time parents and I stayed late one night so they could have their first date night since the baby was born. When they came home, the mom walked in first and started PROJECTILE vomiting red wine all over the house- floor, walls, entry table, an entire trail to the bathroom. Literally was like a scene from the exorcist.

I had worked for them for 11 months and hadn't taken a single day off. My regular commute was 40 mins each way. We were expecting a huge blizzard so I got up over two hours early and hit the road 1 hr 45 min before my start time. The storm got really bad about 30 mins into my drive. My driver's side windshield wiper flew off and was gone so I literally couldn't see anything. I called the mom and told her I was essentially stuck- it was already white out conditions and now I had zero visibility so I couldn't really continue on to work nor drive home, Her response was "So what do you expect us to do with the baby today?".

After 3 years with them, I got pregnant with my first which was a girl. They had two girls at that point. Over the years, I had chosen, ordered, laundered, and packed away all their girls' clothes. I packed them for trips. Always ensured they had a seasonally appropriate wardrobe in the correct sizes, the right clothes for camp, school, vacation, etc. They were done having kids one day when I was 30+ weeks pregnant and HUGE, I was leaving and the mom goes "Can you grab all the bins of girls clothes from the attic, load them in your car, and drop them at goodwill on your way home?" Didn't offer me a single thing.

Okay so the dad thing is awful and he should not have said that (or even thought it). And the blizzard thing, also not okay. But the other two I kind of empathize with. I remember our first date night which was wayyyy overdue when we had a 1-year-old -- it's easy to over-indulge (temporarily) when you feel like you are FINALLY free to have adult time. Obviously very gross that she barfed everywhere but I wouldn't view that as some moral failing, unless it was like, a regular thing. And the pregnancy clothes thing...I often decide not to give hand-me-downs because I know (from experience) that it is awkward to turn them down and, sometimes, like in a nanny situation, I worry that the recipient will be offended and think I assume they are poor or something.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Mine was also as a nanny.

The dad was interviewing for some huge job and he went outside to leave and his car wouldn't start. This was pre-uber days so I offered him my 20 year old car that I kept in really clean, well maintained condition (and drove his baby around every day in). Instead of saying thank you, on the way out of the house he looked right at me and said "I can't believe I'm showing up to this interview in a suit that costs more than the car I'm driving".

They were first time parents and I stayed late one night so they could have their first date night since the baby was born. When they came home, the mom walked in first and started PROJECTILE vomiting red wine all over the house- floor, walls, entry table, an entire trail to the bathroom. Literally was like a scene from the exorcist.

I had worked for them for 11 months and hadn't taken a single day off. My regular commute was 40 mins each way. We were expecting a huge blizzard so I got up over two hours early and hit the road 1 hr 45 min before my start time. The storm got really bad about 30 mins into my drive. My driver's side windshield wiper flew off and was gone so I literally couldn't see anything. I called the mom and told her I was essentially stuck- it was already white out conditions and now I had zero visibility so I couldn't really continue on to work nor drive home, Her response was "So what do you expect us to do with the baby today?".

After 3 years with them, I got pregnant with my first which was a girl. They had two girls at that point. Over the years, I had chosen, ordered, laundered, and packed away all their girls' clothes. I packed them for trips. Always ensured they had a seasonally appropriate wardrobe in the correct sizes, the right clothes for camp, school, vacation, etc. They were done having kids one day when I was 30+ weeks pregnant and HUGE, I was leaving and the mom goes "Can you grab all the bins of girls clothes from the attic, load them in your car, and drop them at goodwill on your way home?" Didn't offer me a single thing.

Okay so the dad thing is awful and he should not have said that (or even thought it). And the blizzard thing, also not okay. But the other two I kind of empathize with. I remember our first date night which was wayyyy overdue when we had a 1-year-old -- it's easy to over-indulge (temporarily) when you feel like you are FINALLY free to have adult time. Obviously very gross that she barfed everywhere but I wouldn't view that as some moral failing, unless it was like, a regular thing. And the pregnancy clothes thing...I often decide not to give hand-me-downs because I know (from experience) that it is awkward to turn them down and, sometimes, like in a nanny situation, I worry that the recipient will be offended and think I assume they are poor or something.

I mean I was poor. They paid me $12hr pretax, $18hr over time (50 hours per week).
I actually have a successful business now and ran into the dad a couple months ago at a networking event- the surprise on his face was priceless

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Mine was also as a nanny.

The dad was interviewing for some huge job and he went outside to leave and his car wouldn't start. This was pre-uber days so I offered him my 20 year old car that I kept in really clean, well maintained condition (and drove his baby around every day in). Instead of saying thank you, on the way out of the house he looked right at me and said "I can't believe I'm showing up to this interview in a suit that costs more than the car I'm driving".

They were first time parents and I stayed late one night so they could have their first date night since the baby was born. When they came home, the mom walked in first and started PROJECTILE vomiting red wine all over the house- floor, walls, entry table, an entire trail to the bathroom. Literally was like a scene from the exorcist.

I had worked for them for 11 months and hadn't taken a single day off. My regular commute was 40 mins each way. We were expecting a huge blizzard so I got up over two hours early and hit the road 1 hr 45 min before my start time. The storm got really bad about 30 mins into my drive. My driver's side windshield wiper flew off and was gone so I literally couldn't see anything. I called the mom and told her I was essentially stuck- it was already white out conditions and now I had zero visibility so I couldn't really continue on to work nor drive home, Her response was "So what do you expect us to do with the baby today?".

After 3 years with them, I got pregnant with my first which was a girl. They had two girls at that point. Over the years, I had chosen, ordered, laundered, and packed away all their girls' clothes. I packed them for trips. Always ensured they had a seasonally appropriate wardrobe in the correct sizes, the right clothes for camp, school, vacation, etc. They were done having kids one day when I was 30+ weeks pregnant and HUGE, I was leaving and the mom goes "Can you grab all the bins of girls clothes from the attic, load them in your car, and drop them at goodwill on your way home?" Didn't offer me a single thing.

Okay so the dad thing is awful and he should not have said that (or even thought it). And the blizzard thing, also not okay. But the other two I kind of empathize with. I remember our first date night which was wayyyy overdue when we had a 1-year-old -- it's easy to over-indulge (temporarily) when you feel like you are FINALLY free to have adult time. Obviously very gross that she barfed everywhere but I wouldn't view that as some moral failing, unless it was like, a regular thing. And the pregnancy clothes thing...I often decide not to give hand-me-downs because I know (from experience) that it is awkward to turn them down and, sometimes, like in a nanny situation, I worry that the recipient will be offended and think I assume they are poor or something.

I mean I was poor. They paid me $12hr pretax, $18hr over time (50 hours per week).
I actually have a successful business now and ran into the dad a couple months ago at a networking event- the surprise on his face was priceless

Good for you! That is awesome. And yeah, yikes, that is a low rate. My point was just, I personally have received ratty hand-me-down kid clothes from higher-earning relatives and been offended - like "how desperate do you think I am that I would want your daughter's torn up leggings?" So I am a little self conscious and hyper vigilant when I hand clothing down.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Most terrible bosses are women.

Yup.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Mine was also as a nanny.

The dad was interviewing for some huge job and he went outside to leave and his car wouldn't start. This was pre-uber days so I offered him my 20 year old car that I kept in really clean, well maintained condition (and drove his baby around every day in). Instead of saying thank you, on the way out of the house he looked right at me and said "I can't believe I'm showing up to this interview in a suit that costs more than the car I'm driving".

They were first time parents and I stayed late one night so they could have their first date night since the baby was born. When they came home, the mom walked in first and started PROJECTILE vomiting red wine all over the house- floor, walls, entry table, an entire trail to the bathroom. Literally was like a scene from the exorcist.

I had worked for them for 11 months and hadn't taken a single day off. My regular commute was 40 mins each way. We were expecting a huge blizzard so I got up over two hours early and hit the road 1 hr 45 min before my start time. The storm got really bad about 30 mins into my drive. My driver's side windshield wiper flew off and was gone so I literally couldn't see anything. I called the mom and told her I was essentially stuck- it was already white out conditions and now I had zero visibility so I couldn't really continue on to work nor drive home, Her response was "So what do you expect us to do with the baby today?".

After 3 years with them, I got pregnant with my first which was a girl. They had two girls at that point. Over the years, I had chosen, ordered, laundered, and packed away all their girls' clothes. I packed them for trips. Always ensured they had a seasonally appropriate wardrobe in the correct sizes, the right clothes for camp, school, vacation, etc. They were done having kids one day when I was 30+ weeks pregnant and HUGE, I was leaving and the mom goes "Can you grab all the bins of girls clothes from the attic, load them in your car, and drop them at goodwill on your way home?" Didn't offer me a single thing.

Okay so the dad thing is awful and he should not have said that (or even thought it). And the blizzard thing, also not okay. But the other two I kind of empathize with. I remember our first date night which was wayyyy overdue when we had a 1-year-old -- it's easy to over-indulge (temporarily) when you feel like you are FINALLY free to have adult time. Obviously very gross that she barfed everywhere but I wouldn't view that as some moral failing, unless it was like, a regular thing. And the pregnancy clothes thing...I often decide not to give hand-me-downs because I know (from experience) that it is awkward to turn them down and, sometimes, like in a nanny situation, I worry that the recipient will be offended and think I assume they are poor or something.

I mean I was poor. They paid me $12hr pretax, $18hr over time (50 hours per week).
I actually have a successful business now and ran into the dad a couple months ago at a networking event- the surprise on his face was priceless

NP my absurdly wealthy aunt & uncle sent my parents two Yeti mugs for my dad’s 55th bday. It was so random. Just an odd gift.

[Anonymous]

Mine was the quiet, braindead boss who thought her job was hall monitor. All she did was approve timesheets and make sure no one plugged in a phone charger without filling out paperwork first. If you asked her a subject matter question, she’d stare blankly, say she’d check what “the policy” was, then never give an answer.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Mine was also as a nanny.

The dad was interviewing for some huge job and he went outside to leave and his car wouldn't start. This was pre-uber days so I offered him my 20 year old car that I kept in really clean, well maintained condition (and drove his baby around every day in). Instead of saying thank you, on the way out of the house he looked right at me and said "I can't believe I'm showing up to this interview in a suit that costs more than the car I'm driving".

They were first time parents and I stayed late one night so they could have their first date night since the baby was born. When they came home, the mom walked in first and started PROJECTILE vomiting red wine all over the house- floor, walls, entry table, an entire trail to the bathroom. Literally was like a scene from the exorcist.

I had worked for them for 11 months and hadn't taken a single day off. My regular commute was 40 mins each way. We were expecting a huge blizzard so I got up over two hours early and hit the road 1 hr 45 min before my start time. The storm got really bad about 30 mins into my drive. My driver's side windshield wiper flew off and was gone so I literally couldn't see anything. I called the mom and told her I was essentially stuck- it was already white out conditions and now I had zero visibility so I couldn't really continue on to work nor drive home, Her response was "So what do you expect us to do with the baby today?".

After 3 years with them, I got pregnant with my first which was a girl. They had two girls at that point. Over the years, I had chosen, ordered, laundered, and packed away all their girls' clothes. I packed them for trips. Always ensured they had a seasonally appropriate wardrobe in the correct sizes, the right clothes for camp, school, vacation, etc. They were done having kids one day when I was 30+ weeks pregnant and HUGE, I was leaving and the mom goes "Can you grab all the bins of girls clothes from the attic, load them in your car, and drop them at goodwill on your way home?" Didn't offer me a single thing.

Okay so the dad thing is awful and he should not have said that (or even thought it). And the blizzard thing, also not okay. But the other two I kind of empathize with. I remember our first date night which was wayyyy overdue when we had a 1-year-old -- it's easy to over-indulge (temporarily) when you feel like you are FINALLY free to have adult time. Obviously very gross that she barfed everywhere but I wouldn't view that as some moral failing, unless it was like, a regular thing. And the pregnancy clothes thing...I often decide not to give hand-me-downs because I know (from experience) that it is awkward to turn them down and, sometimes, like in a nanny situation, I worry that the recipient will be offended and think I assume they are poor or something.

I mean I was poor. They paid me $12hr pretax, $18hr over time (50 hours per week).
I actually have a successful business now and ran into the dad a couple months ago at a networking event- the surprise on his face was priceless

Good for you! That is awesome. And yeah, yikes, that is a low rate. My point was just, I personally have received ratty hand-me-down kid clothes from higher-earning relatives and been offended - like "how desperate do you think I am that I would want your daughter's torn up leggings?" So I am a little self conscious and hyper vigilant when I hand clothing down.

So when I was pregnant, I asked one of my friend (who has half a B under her name) for some of the hand me downs. She delivered some ratty clothes, so we basically wasted gas for her to drive over and I didn't end up using any of them.

My boss was a director with a F50 company and one time his SVP insisted on giving him some hand me downs he had to accept. That was weird too, they also looked ratty.

I came to realize all the rich people have torn and overused hand me down clothes. I am poor and I always made sure to give my friends hand me downs in great condition, come from European designer and ect...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Mine was also as a nanny.

The dad was interviewing for some huge job and he went outside to leave and his car wouldn't start. This was pre-uber days so I offered him my 20 year old car that I kept in really clean, well maintained condition (and drove his baby around every day in). Instead of saying thank you, on the way out of the house he looked right at me and said "I can't believe I'm showing up to this interview in a suit that costs more than the car I'm driving".

They were first time parents and I stayed late one night so they could have their first date night since the baby was born. When they came home, the mom walked in first and started PROJECTILE vomiting red wine all over the house- floor, walls, entry table, an entire trail to the bathroom. Literally was like a scene from the exorcist.

I had worked for them for 11 months and hadn't taken a single day off. My regular commute was 40 mins each way. We were expecting a huge blizzard so I got up over two hours early and hit the road 1 hr 45 min before my start time. The storm got really bad about 30 mins into my drive. My driver's side windshield wiper flew off and was gone so I literally couldn't see anything. I called the mom and told her I was essentially stuck- it was already white out conditions and now I had zero visibility so I couldn't really continue on to work nor drive home, Her response was "So what do you expect us to do with the baby today?".

After 3 years with them, I got pregnant with my first which was a girl. They had two girls at that point. Over the years, I had chosen, ordered, laundered, and packed away all their girls' clothes. I packed them for trips. Always ensured they had a seasonally appropriate wardrobe in the correct sizes, the right clothes for camp, school, vacation, etc. They were done having kids one day when I was 30+ weeks pregnant and HUGE, I was leaving and the mom goes "Can you grab all the bins of girls clothes from the attic, load them in your car, and drop them at goodwill on your way home?" Didn't offer me a single thing.

Okay so the dad thing is awful and he should not have said that (or even thought it). And the blizzard thing, also not okay. But the other two I kind of empathize with. I remember our first date night which was wayyyy overdue when we had a 1-year-old -- it's easy to over-indulge (temporarily) when you feel like you are FINALLY free to have adult time. Obviously very gross that she barfed everywhere but I wouldn't view that as some moral failing, unless it was like, a regular thing. And the pregnancy clothes thing...I often decide not to give hand-me-downs because I know (from experience) that it is awkward to turn them down and, sometimes, like in a nanny situation, I worry that the recipient will be offended and think I assume they are poor or something.

I mean I was poor. They paid me $12hr pretax, $18hr over time (50 hours per week).
I actually have a successful business now and ran into the dad a couple months ago at a networking event- the surprise on his face was priceless

I would have taken the bins to my car, said "no problem, I'll drop these off" then gone through them and taken what I wanted and dropped the rest off like she asked win win