If it has USAID in it’s title, it is toxic.

Anonymous wrote:When a boss feels threatened by those working for her and, consequently, puts them down, yells at them, bullies them.

We have a boss that I think feels threatened, but she just presents a Miss Down-Home Texas/Innocent/Nice persona, while hoarding information and taking credit for others' ideas and accomplishments. She also promoted a bumbling, idiotic, brown-noser to be her deputy so that she continues to retain control and look good by comparison. Anyone who is an actual threat can not be promoted or paid more because then the top level will surely see how incompetent she and her deputy are.

So I close my door and try to avoid them like the plague. I am trying to cultivate a DGAF attitude. I'm just there to make money and devote my time and attention to my family.

And definitely the resistance to change is a sign of the toxic workplace. No other ideas can be presented or implemented because if it worked 20 years ago, it will definitely still work.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Admin running the place - common in government agencies.

Omg yes

I don’t understand? What admin run the place? Do you mean secretaries? We have like 3 secretaries for every thousand people.

Anonymous wrote:Lots of turnover.

Lots of angry side conversations about management decisions.

This is USAID right now

Anonymous wrote:Admin running the place - common in government agencies.

Omg yes

When everyone closes their doors.

Anonymous wrote:People hoard information like it's power

YES! I'm a fed and I'd say that this is the #1 issue I've seen working for multiple agencies. It took me years of working at my current job to figure out what the heck was wrong with it and where to find things. No one would say a word. Now that I'm a manager I tell my direct reports everything. I'm not interested in hoarding information to gain power. I'm interested in raising up future leaders who understand issues. I don't want my team to spend hours looking for things instead of doing their job.

Lots of turnover.

Lots of angry side conversations about management decisions.

Anonymous wrote:Gossiping, passing the buck, blaming people for your work deficiencies, setting up people to fail, top down management style

This plus a boss who pits coworkers against each other and plays favorites.

Crying. Highly qualified people who had been there for decades leaving within months of one another.

Anonymous wrote:People hoard information like it's power

+1

This is true in the private sector. People who claim that they "train" but maybe provide minimum information, if that. Not giving you what you need to do the job, even though they laid out that is a certain training period, and there is in fact, actual training. People favoring the incompetent employees, and feeling threatened by those with more experience, professionalism, and capability. If you wonder how those at the top got there - you are probably on the right track.

Changes to make processes more opaque that are marketed as improving transparency.

Lots of rumors of people sleeping their way into positions. These may or may not be true but often arise because people can think of no other reason why incompetent people are the ones getting promoted.

Frequent stealing of others' ideas presented as one's own. Bonus points if it is accompanied with a put down campaign against the people whose ideas were stolen.

Senior leaders who hyperfocus on absolute adherence to their interpretation of a few policies that justify their actions while they engage in widespread flouting of all other policies.

Senior leaders whose calendars are littered with fifteen minute "coffees," if they haven't otherwise made all entries private.

Anonymous wrote:When a boss feels threatened by those working for her and, consequently, puts them down, yells at them, bullies them.

This is very common. I have a boss who has essentially stayed at the same agency for years and is now the head of the division. She is unfriendly, unwelcoming and hyper critical even though she is wholly unqualified for her position. I'm new and it amazes that she is in the position she is. Often, in government, longevity over talent can put you in places you shouldn't be.

Anonymous wrote:People hoard information like it's power

Yep, common where I work in federal government (CSOSA).

Anonymous wrote:People hoard information like it's power

Couldn't agree more. It happened even with contractors not informing feds especially new federal employees. Of course, the federal program manager was in bed with contractor firm, had been their employee before converting to Fed. Ethics regulations be damned.