‘Game on’: Arrogant boss tries to micromanage high-performing employee into quitting, fails miserably

Author image for Lana DeGaetano
Lana DeGaetano • "Show me to me please."
May 10, 2025 10:00 AM EDT

We all have that one micromanager, whether that is your actual manager or a coworker, is dependent on your current situation. Sometimes, micromanagers come without the actual title on paper—or the pay grade to show for it. So, you mean to tell me they're not getting paid extra to be annoying?…

At the end of the day, a micromanager is probably just as miserable as they seem. For whatever reason, they choose you as their undeserving target, where they will keep target shooting until you're left career-ly wounded. Yep. They're in it to win it. Hey, at least they're giving themselves a purpose, right?

In this next story, a star employee becomes the target of a micromanager who claims they are terrible at their job. They have no evidence of this, and the employee makes sure to ask for it in several different meetings with the boss and HR. This boss picked the wrong employee, I'll tell you that much… Scroll to read the full story below.

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  • It's up to us subordinates to show micromanagers and toxic bosses what we're made of. We might not be paid as much as they are, but we have just as much of a right to be treated with equal respect. We're all adults here…

  • "He decided that I was terrible at what I did and decided to performance manage me out of my job."
    via Getty Images For Unsplash+

    The image does not depict the actual subjects of the story. Subjects are models.

  • "Trying to performance manage me out of a job? I'm up for the challenge"

    Years ago I worked for a supervisor who just didn't like me. No reason why since I just came to work, did my job, and went home at the end of the day.
    via Wakemeup3000
  • But he decided that I was terrible at what I did and decided to performance manage me out of my job. Game on.
    via Wakemup3000
  • He wrote me up for some vague bulls and asked me to sign it but since it didn't show any hard facts and data I asked for examples of this. Meeting ended
    via Wakemeup3000
  • with document unsigned since he didn't have an example for this. Tried it again with an example this time and I asked how often this would be reviewed for feedback, how the feedback
    via Wakemup3000
  • would be given, and how the improvement or non improvement would be measured. He hadn't have a solid answer so again no document signed and the meeting ended.
    via Wakemeup3000
  • The next time me had HR in the meeting and had all his documentation and the answer to my questions from the prior
    via Wakemeup3000
  • meeting. He decided to be so smart on how feedback would be given daily via email. I signed the paper and he gave a smug smile.
    via Wakemeup3000
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    via Getty Images For Unsplash+

    The image does not depict the actual subjects of the story. Subjects are models.

  • Next day comes along and shockingly there was zero feedback given. No email sent for the rest of the week. Get called into a meeting with boss and HR
    via Wakemeup3000
  • with a paper saying there was no improvement and I was being put on warning for termination and oops I'm sorry but can you show me the emails where feedback was given daily as outlined? There were none. Meeting ended.
    via Wakemeup3000
  • Next day email sent with feedback. I responded with facts and data. No response. Day after email sent with feedback. Again responded noting that I hadn't
    via Wakemeup3000
  • gotten any follow up for the day before and responded to that day's email with facts and data. 3rd day I again noted that I hadn't gotten any answers to the prior 2 days questions and added facts and data for this one. Then I cc'ed the HR person and sent it back.
    via Wakemeup3000
  • Apparently after much discussion boss decided that it was too hard to performance manage someone out of a job and my work was suddenly just fine after all.
    via Wakemeup3000
  • RuthTheWidow This is beautiful. Well done, you.
    via RuthTheWidow
  • Merigold00 Good for you! Bu ies do not like it when someone stands up to them.
    via Merigold00
  • qcon99 It's likely not that he decided it was too hard, but that HR saw through his B and smelled a potential wrongful termination lawsuit if he fired you and told him to quit
    via qcon99
  • CoderJoe1 You performance managed them out of it.
    via CoderJoe1

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boss workplace-stories toxic-workplace malicious compliance bosses work reddit story horrible-management toxic-boss workplace Horrible Bosses reddit thread bad bosses Reddit entitled people
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