What people say they would do and what they actually would do may be two different things. I was in an emotionally abusive "relationship" with my boss, and I can attest that the mindset that can take over is similar to that of an abused partner who stays on despite continued abuse. I was living alone on the East Coast, and making just enough to pay my expenses, with a little to spare. Largely because of economics and social isolation, I became especially fearful of losing my job, and I froze into submission. Early on, I did confront my boss privately about concerns about humiliation in front of others (she did it to several people) and although she seemed gracious about it, she could and would exact revenge at a later date by making covert references to our conversation, or harshly criticizing me on some assignment. Because of personal issues, I was vulnerable to this feeling of powerlessness and entrapment, but other people with better economic and social resources also avoided confronting her because of her tendency to make you sorry you ever brought it up. I finally came to my senses, realized that if she fired me, I could collect unemployment long enough to relocate and find a new job, and be done with her. The happy ending is that I walked out the day I got fired, went shopping, changed careers,and haven't looked back. I think we all would like to say we'd stand up to abusive bosses, but the truth is, if the administration is on that person's side, there is nothing any subordinates can do. We had a talk with the administration (our whole department) and the response was that they would just as soon get rid of all of us as try to change her. I hope someone somewhere does start a movement to prevent abusiveness from bosses. The toll it took on me personally was horrendous. THere is no need for that kind of harmful behavior ever, and there is currently no law against it. does that answer your question?
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