How a sinister manager slowly pushes you to quit:
Step 1 – I’d get a little cold. Less friendly, less supportive. You notice it but brush it off.
Step 2 – I’d stop noticing your work. No appreciation, no recognition. You’re getting slightly demoralized now.
Step 3 – You’re suddenly not in important meetings anymore. Things move without you. It hurts but whatever, I guess.
Step 4 – Your good work gets taken away. You’re left with random, low-impact tasks. You feel devalued. This feeling ruins your evenings.
Step 5 – You’re told to “do better” but no one tells you what that actually means?!?! This is turning into actual frustration.
Step 6 – Out of nowhere, “performance concerns” come up. You panic. “What am I doing wrong?”
Step 7 – You try to fix things… but the goalpost keeps changing. You just had your first anxiety attack.
Step 8 – They start watching everything you do. Small mistakes become a big deal. You’re constantly walking on eggshells now.
Step 9 – I’d become harder to reach. No guidance, but still judging your work. You’re feeling deflated.
Step 10 – Everything gets written down. Emails, notes, “just documenting.” You know they’re setting you up to fail.
Step 11 – You get put on a Performance Improvement Plan. It looks official, but it doesn’t have clear metrics. You’re angry.
Step 12 – You start hearing lines like “this might not be the right fit.” Subconsciously you’re prepared to leave and never look back.
Step 13 – Your workload gets weird. Either way too much or barely anything. You’ve started making applications elsewhere.
Step 14 – You feel confused all the time. You’re trying harder but it’s not landing. You can’t wait to get out of here.
Step 15 – I’d hint that leaving might be easier. You AGREE. Like, so much easier. Now, if only you had another back-up option.
Step 16 – You’re exhausted and your self-esteem has taken a major hit… and quitting starts to feel like the only way out, with or without a back-up option. You quit. They win.
Bad employers are very good at psychological pressure. As an employment lawyer, I’m trained to spot these patterns early and see what’s coming next. Follow along to learn.