Latest news with #boss
Forbes
a day ago
- Business
- Forbes
What To Watch When Your Boss Is Being Pushed Out
Being loyal does not mean being blind. Being ethical does not mean being passive. It means holding ... More your line. Staying steady. Being someone others can trust no matter what direction the wind is blowing. It usually begins with a small shift. A meeting they used to lead is now run by someone else. Their updates start getting cut short. Conversations happen without them and decisions they once signed off on are suddenly made by committee. At first it might seem like nothing. Maybe it is a busy week. Maybe they are just stretched too thin. But if you are paying attention, you begin to notice a pattern. Influence is moving. And not in their direction. Most people assume that when a leader is pushed out, it happens fast. But in well-managed institutions, the quiet takedown is often slow. It comes through exclusion, reputation erosion and the subtle transfer of authority. The question is not just what is happening to them. It is what you are going to do about it, especially when you are close enough to see the plot form but not yet close enough to be affected. One of the first signs that something is shifting is that your boss is being left out of conversations they would normally lead. A project moves forward without their input. A senior stakeholder replies all except them. You hear about a decision after it is already been made and your manager is hearing it at the same time you are. It may be framed as efficiency. It may be explained as scheduling. But the real signal is exclusion. Power travels through visibility. When someone is being removed from key moments, it is rarely by accident. Their Reputation Gets Softened In high-trust teams, a leader's name carries weight. But when a takedown is beginning, you may hear new qualifiers around their name. 'They have done great work for a long time' becomes code for 'maybe their time has passed.' People start suggesting they are tired or out of touch or no longer the right fit for what is next. It is rarely said directly. It often comes wrapped in compliments. But those compliments soften the ground. They lower resistance. They make the idea of change easier to suggest later. When reputation starts shifting before anyone admits it is happening, that is the warning sign. Another early move in a quiet plot is the request for feedback, especially from people close to the manager in question. You might be asked how your boss is doing. Whether their style fits the culture. Whether you feel you are getting enough support. At first it sounds like a genuine check-in. But if you are asked without context or if your words show up in later conversations, you may be part of a broader assessment you did not sign up for. Feedback is often used to build a case. Even well-meaning observations can be woven into a story someone else wants to tell. When the people asking you questions already know where they want things to land, your input becomes ammunition. Their Authority Stops Holding One of the clearest signs something is shifting is that your boss's decisions start getting reversed or ignored entirely. A directive goes out and teams hesitate. A plan is submitted and it gets quietly rewritten. Their judgment is questioned more often. People ask for second opinions. The shift is subtle at first. But it builds. And soon the authority that once defined their role becomes conditional. That is when you know the process is no longer about feedback. It is about succession. When a leader's authority becomes negotiable, the outcome is already in motion. Eventually your manager will sense it. They will show frustration. Maybe even confusion. You might hear them wonder aloud why they were not included or notice them asking you what others are saying. These are not just personal reactions. They are survival instincts. And this is often the moment you realize you are in the middle of it. You are being asked to pick a side even if no one says so. The room is closing. And unless you are careful, you may get caught inside it. What to Do When You See It Happening First, stay calm. You are not the target. But that does not mean you are not affected. When leadership transitions start quietly, those closest to the outgoing person are often treated with caution or suspicion. Avoid becoming defensive on their behalf. Do not start counter-narratives. Do not build coalitions. It rarely helps them and it can damage you. Instead, ask for clarity. Keep your tone neutral. Make decisions based on principle not emotion. And most of all, protect your own reputation. People will remember how you handled this moment more than what you believed about it. If you respect your boss, tell them directly and privately. But do not make their case for them. That is not your job. This Is About Power Not Fairness Most workplace plots are not about justice. They are about alignment, fit and timing. What an organization needs next. When someone is removed, it is often because the system has moved ahead of them. That does not make it fair. But it does make it real. Being loyal does not mean being blind. Being ethical does not mean being passive. It means holding your line. Staying steady. Being someone others can trust no matter what direction the wind is blowing. Sometimes the strongest move you can make is to remain observant. To resist drama. And to understand that even when a plot is unfolding, you do not need to be written into the script.
Daily Mail
a day ago
- Business
- Daily Mail
I had a disastrous start to the day but made it on time to my first shift at my new job... I was fired ten minutes later for a ridiculous reason
An Aussie woman claims she was fired on her first day at a UK salon because she wasn't 'passionate enough', despite arriving on time and working with a broken leg. Rhiannon Cunningham claimed her boss told her she should have arrived 15 minutes early to be truly prepared. The frustrated hairdresser said her day had got off to a rocky start after her first bus was cancelled. The second one drove past her without stopping, forcing Ms Cunningham to fork out money for an Uber so she would still make it to the salon on time. But that didn't seem to matter. 'I get there on time, and then I'm working for about ten minutes, and then the boss arrives,' Ms Cunningham said in a TikTok. 'She pulls me outside to basically say I don't work there anymore. 'She said I wasn't passionate enough and that I should be aiming to get there about 15 minutes early to ensure that I'm never late, and that I didn't ask enough questions on my first day.' Ms Cunningham said she was hired despite being upfront about having a broken leg, an injury sustained just a week earlier. 'I worked as a manager of a salon before, and probably I would have been a little bit better at my job,' she said. 'But I have a broken leg right now so obviously I can't be running around like a crazy person.' Ms Cunningham said the blow came after she was made redundant from her previous marketing role in March, a job that still owes her $3,200 in unpaid wages. She said her debt has since spiralled into credit card arrears. 'I can't even go get a little hospitality job or like a retail job, because I have a broken leg and I can barely walk,' Ms Cunningham said. Her story struck a chord online, with social media users questioning the fairness of a culture where workers are discarded so quickly and with so little compassion. 'This sounds rough! I work in HR and would highly suggest going to the Fair Work Commission website and applying for unfair dismissal,' one wrote. 'Even though you were in your probation period, you still need to be notified with a meeting and have the opportunity to a support person. You can definitely claim some money back then.' Another said she was fired from her first fashion job after finishing university. 'They fired me within the month because the manager said I should be getting in before her and leaving after her,' she said. Ms Cunningham said she's still holding on to hope. 'I've been crying my eyes out all morning,' she said. 'I have $100 in my account, I have rent, a gym membership, mobile plan. I'm really trying to stay positive.'
Independent Singapore
3 days ago
- Business
- Independent Singapore
‘What are you busy with?': Employee 'irked' after boss mocks her for not doing work during annual leave
SINGAPORE: An employee was caught off guard when her boss asked, 'What are you busy with?' shortly after she returned to work from her annual leave — apparently because she had not completed the tasks he had sent her during her time off. In a post on Reddit's 'AskSingapore' forum on Friday (July 18), the employee shared that she had taken two days of approved annual leave, which had been signed off by her supervisors, including the boss in question. Despite this, she said she received a message from her boss on the first day of leave, asking her to look into suppliers for 'Item A, B, and C' via her work phone. 'I didn't respond as I wanted to disconnect from work,' she said. 'It's not something that I can sort within five minutes, researching requires time and minimally three hours in my case.' On the second day, her boss followed up again with a message that read, 'Please let me know, thanks.' She then responded, 'Allow me to follow up tomorrow,' making it clear that she would only be able to address the matter once she was back at work. However, the following morning, she was met with immediate pressure. 'Less than a minute after I arrived back at work the next morning, he asked if I had any updates yet. I replied that I was starting to look into it now, and he responded sarcastically, 'Wah, so busy ah? What are you busy with?' (gave a fake laugh,) which kinda irked me,' she explained. Hoping to set healthier boundaries between work and personal time, she turned to the community for advice on how to approach the situation. 'How can I respectfully and professionally bring up to my boss that I'd prefer to keep work matters separate on my off days, without sounding uncooperative or guilty?' She added, 'I'd also like to express that expecting immediate updates the moment I return doesn't feel very reasonable, especially when I haven't had a chance to properly settle back in.' 'Ignore that snarky comment.' In the comments, one Singaporean Redditor recommended that the employee simply switch off her work phone the next time she goes on leave. 'Just turn off your work phone when you're on leave and don't reply. Sometimes, before going on leave or in the handover doc, I'll put 'will have intermittent wifi and not bring work phone overseas. For anything urgent, please reach out to XX'. If your contract doesn't mandate you to be on call on your work phone, you don't need to reply.' Another Redditor suggested, 'I think you should always say you are travelling overseas and may not have internet connection, etc. If he texts you, then you reply slowly and say you are overseas now and will look into this when you are back from leave.' A third said, 'Either you don't respond to him at all, or just respond to him again the same, that you will follow up when you're back in office. Ignore that snarky comment. The more you respond, the more BS they will say.' They added that their own manager and colleague used to do something similar when they were new on the job. '[They] did something similar during my lunch break when I first started. But I kept my boundaries, and they didn't like it. But I just continue to do so. They finally get the idea that I won't do any work during my break time.' Are employees expected to respond to their bosses while on leave? This question has been raised before on HRSingapore's community forum, where several HR professionals shared their insights. The general consensus is that employees are not obligated to respond to work-related matters while on approved leave. One HR professional explained that unless the situation is truly urgent, companies should refrain from calling or messaging staff who are on break. If an employee chooses not to reply, they should not be held accountable or penalised, as they are entitled to fully disconnect during their time off. However, not everyone agreed that the lines are always so clear. Some HR professionals noted that expectations can vary depending on the circumstances. For example, if someone in senior management reaches out about something critical, it's generally expected that the employee at least acknowledges the message or offers help if they can. Read also: 34 yo mum shares she's starting over with just S$2k after husband allegedly took most of her money Featured image by freepik (for illustration purposes only)
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
My Boss Asked Me to Examine Various Moles on His Body. It Doesn't Stop There!
Good Job is Slate's advice column on work. Dear Good Job, My boss is an epic hypochondriac. He is forever obsessing over his latest ache or pain. Now that we've all returned to working at the office post-COVID, he wears an N95 mask all day long. He will describe symptoms he thinks he is experiencing and has even asked me to look at various moles on his body (thankfully in non-intimate places) to ask if I think he should have them removed. He has me chasing down information online about the latest malady he thinks he has daily, and it's affecting my ability to get my actual work done. I'm not the only one he assigns these 'research duties' to, and we are all sick of it. The human resources department at our company is beyond useless, so going to them would be a waste of time. Any suggestions? —Involuntary Infectious Disease Researcher Dear Involuntary Infectious Disease Researcher, Your boss does seem to have a real illness, but it has nothing to do with moles. I can't diagnose him through a letter, but you might be right that he has hypochondria. Also known as intense health anxiety, it is a form of mental illness that can be disruptive and dangerous, but treatable. Two main syndromes are defined in psychiatry's Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders: illness anxiety disorder, or excessive fear of developing a medical condition, and somatic symptom disorder, which involves excessive concern about physical symptoms. The COVID pandemic exacerbated many people's health anxiety. (Masking at work isn't necessarily a sign of hypochondria, though; dangerous respiratory diseases are still circulating.) The availability of Dr. Google has created a new twist on hypochondria called 'cyberchondria,' or excessive searching for medical information. You aren't your boss's psychiatrist, and this (among other things!) is definitely not your job, but you or one of your colleagues could tell him that intense worry about health is getting more medical attention as a common and treatable problem—and potentially nudge him toward seeking help. If nobody on staff feels comfortable having this conversation, there are other ways to get out of being his unwilling physician assistant. You could tell him that you're simply too busy with your actual work to help search for medical information. You could say that it's inefficient for you to do these searches since you aren't experiencing the symptoms yourself and wouldn't know what to follow up on. Or try the privacy approach: His perceived symptoms might lead to a diagnosis he wouldn't want to share, and out of respect for his privacy, you don't think it's appropriate for you to dig into the medical literature. There's also the 'this is too serious for me' option: 'I don't feel qualified to evaluate and discuss information about health conditions, but the doctors covered by our employer's insurance can help.' Laura Helmuth and Doree Shafrir want to help you navigate your social dynamics at work. Does your colleague constantly bug you after hours? Has an ill-advised work romance gone awry? Ask us your question here! Dear Good Job, I work for a company that is going out of business at the end of the year. I have been told I'll receive a severance package, but I've had a few potential employers express interest in me. I don't want to leave my already understaffed store without the help they need, but I know I need to protect myself in an uncertain job market. Nothing has been offered directly to me yet, but I'm very tempted by one potential employer. The employer I'm interested in knows my current employer well, and I'm scared my current employer will find out I'm on the hunt and fire me preemptively. He's known for making snap decisions. How do I know when/if to jump ship? —Should I Stay, or Should I Go Now? Dear Should I Stay, or Should I Go Now, Your current employer did the right thing by admitting that the company is going out of business. And they are right to offer severance to reward people who stay until the end. Did they tell you how much severance? If it's, say, three months' worth of your salary or more, it would probably make financial sense to stay. You could use the severance-funded time to do a thorough job search, and maybe take some time off between jobs. But if they're being vague about the amount, or if you're worried the severance could disappear when the company does, don't let it tie you to a doomed employer. Companies fire people all the time for their own reasons; you have every right to quit for yours. It sounds like you need more information, and I think it's worth the risk to have honest-ish conversations with both your current and potential employers. I suggest you start with the latter. Tell them you feel a sense of loyalty to your existing team. (Taking your job seriously makes you even more attractive as a potential hire.) Follow up by saying that you admire the future employer's work and are intrigued by the possibility of joining them. It's usually a good idea in a job interview (or pre-interview) to express enthusiasm for the future employer, which explains why you're talking with them despite your loyalty to your current job. Say explicitly that you would like to keep this conversation confidential for now since you're not actively looking for work. A potential employer should never share hiring conversations, period, but people are lousy at secrets, and it's reasonable to confirm that they won't mention it elsewhere. The potential employer's response will tell you a lot about whether you want to work there: Do they respect your privacy? Are they open about their timeline for hiring you? If they do make an offer and want you to start right away, you could use your dilemma during negotiations. Mention that you would be giving up a severance package if you leave your other job before the end of the year … but if there's room to increase their salary offer, that would make your decision easier. If you decide to stay in your current job, you could use these overtures to push for more information or opportunities. Tell your boss you appreciate his honesty about the company going out of business. Say you'd like to stay to the end, and you have not been looking for a job, but you have been approached by potential future employers. If Mr. Snap Decisions looks like he's about to blow a gasket, backtrack by telling him you just thought he deserved to know that competitors are taking an interest in his employees, and cut the conversation short. But assuming your current employer doesn't want to lose you, this would be a natural time to ask for more information about the severance package, and to get it in writing. The company is understaffed, and closing down a business is complicated, so there might be opportunities for you to take on interesting new responsibilities and develop different skills. Tell your boss you're hoping to make the most of the next few months in the job and you'd like to find out more about what you can contribute. You might even be able to get a new title by the end that could help you get a job at the next level, wherever you land next. Slate Plus members get more Good Job every week. Sign up now to read Laura Helmuth's additional column this week. Dear Good Job, I've finally managed to escape a toxic and dangerous work environment that caused a lot of overall stress and harm to my overall well-being. I was offered a new job, and I am two weeks in. It is in the realm of what I want to be doing. My stress levels aren't as high, and I don't fear working in an unsafe environment. However, there's a downside. I am struggling with feeling as though I've become a babysitter to the older residents who are residing there while receiving medical care. That is not part of the job description. They have aides, they are just not always present in the areas where I am assigned, but the aides should be around at all times due to the fall risks of some of the residents. Well, the inevitable happened. An unmonitored resident fell while I was leading a program. I felt awful. They couldn't speak to answer questions, which made matters worse. English is also not their first language. I spent my entire day off ruminating on what happened and thinking about whether I should be working here. I never received a reply or feedback from my supervisor after I messaged them about what happened. Any advice? I know looking for another workplace is a great solution, but it took me a year to land this job. —What to Do? Dear What to Do, Congratulations on getting out of your terrible last job and finding this new one. The learning curve for any new job can be steep and unsettling. It's natural to ruminate on work problems, especially at the start. Give yourself time to understand the workplace better, and give yourself grace to know you're doing your best in an imperfect environment. Be patient with yourself and your co-workers as you learn this new job while still recovering from the trauma of the old one. As a new hire, you'll naturally have a lot of questions. Ask your supervisor for a check-in after your first few weeks. Don't mention their lack of response to your message; your supervisor might have too many messages to monitor, and you don't want to set them up to be defensive. Instead, say you want to make sure you understand your responsibilities and proper procedures. Among other things, you want to know how you can help protect the residents if they're unaccompanied. (Avoid the word 'babysitter,' which sounds disrespectful.) If their aides aren't present, should you alert your supervisor? Or the aides' supervisor? Go seek the aides out yourself? Or should you monitor residents when they're participating in one of your programs? If this responsibility wasn't in your job description, well, job descriptions are often incomplete, and you need to know what's really expected of you before you make any decisions about whether to stay, go, or stay and fix it. If the residents aren't being cared for properly, the problem could be a poor policy, imperfect enforcement of good policies, or a lack of awareness about the policies. In any of these cases, you might be noticing problems with your fresh eyes that long-time employees overlook. —Laura We rented a beach house for a week and invited our neighbors, 'Glen and Gina,' across the way to spend a day or two with us since they mentioned they didn't have the funds for a vacation this year. Our two kids and their three kids are around the same age. They get along and have had sleepovers before. It was fine the first day, but on the second, Gina and I took the kids down to the water and there was an ice cream truck.
UAE Moments
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- UAE Moments
♌ Leo Daily Horoscope for July 16, 2025
Keep shining, but don't burn out. Today's energy asks you to balance ambition with compassion, Leo. You're glowing with personal magnetism, and others are drawn to your warmth—but there's a difference between leading and controlling. Whether in love or work, the key today is cooperation. Say less, observe more, and don't underestimate the power of a quiet flex. Career: You're radiating boss energy today — and people are noticing. Just remember: leadership isn't about being the loudest voice in the room, it's about making the smartest move. A creative solution or a bold pitch could turn into your next big win. Love: Single? Someone from your past might pop back up in your DMs. Ask yourself if it's growth or just nostalgia. In a relationship? Be careful not to dominate the convo — your partner needs airtime too. Body: You're running hot today — both in temperature and tension. Don't skip your hydration (yes, that counts as self-care), and try to stretch it out if you've been stuck in one position too long. Mental Health: Feeling overwhelmed by expectations — yours or others'? Take a deep breath, unplug for a bit, and remember that validation doesn't always come from applause. Sometimes peace is louder.
