I’m writing this because someone has to. I’ve watched too many people suffer in silence because no one in a position of power was willing to name what’s really going on.
There’s a senior leader whose behavior is well-known but somehow still tolerated. And not just tolerated — but endorsed and promoted. This person constantly loses their temper, yells at colleagues, throws others under the bus, and flips from charming to hostile depending on the day. The emotional whiplash is real.
Here’s what it’s actually like to work with them:
You never know what mood they’ll be in.
You prep like crazy for every meeting, not to do great work, but to avoid getting blindsided or humiliated.
People actively avoid interacting with this leader unless they absolutely have to.
Other leaders spend time doing damage control after their outbursts — instead of actually leading.
Cross-functional collaboration becomes political and tense, because everyone’s afraid of being the next target.
You hear them talk badly about other teams and even other execs behind closed doors. You start wondering what they say about you when you're not around.
Feedback, if given, is often personal, inconsistent, or based on ego — not growth or impact.
When things go wrong, blame is passed down. When things go well, credit is pulled up.
The worst part? Leadership knows. People have tried to raise the alarm. But nothing changes, either because of internal politics, optics, or fear. Meanwhile, the people doing the actual work are burning out, disengaging, or walking away.
