Boss calls employee into their office over 'attitude problem' when employee scoffs at being asked to complete a non-urgent task: 'He's picking on you because you aren't always a people pleaser'

Author image for JR Atkinson
JR Atkinson • Writer and Editor
Jun 16, 2025 10:00 PM EDT

Attitude is a slippery concept. Are you born with a certain attitude? Does life thrust it upon you? Does it change from day to day and do you have control over those fluctuations? I'm not sure. I know that sometimes I wake up on the wrong side of the bed and my attitude is all out of whack. Everyone who asks anything of me is asking too much. Every face I see on the street is a potential enemy. Every question asked of me is an invasion of privacy. Some days are just like that. 

But on those days, it's important to realize what you're being like and to try to ameliorate it. Or at the very least try to limit your interactions with other people so they're spared of your mood. But sometimes you're in a bad moment and you have to be at work anyways. This is when you hope your employers have grace for you.

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  • 01

    Boss called me into their office on Thursday to chew me out over my "attitude."

    He said my scoffing at him because he told me to do something was a bad attitude. And then he went on to ask what do I do here, and kinda making threats towards me (ex. Me being on my phone (which btw, I barely even get a signal in our building) even though everybody else is as well).
    via u/Ok_Jicama9306
  • 02
    Cheezburger Image 10517911808
    via Unsplash+ (Getty Images)

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

  • You spend so much time at work that you can't always be your 100% best self all the time. It's simply impossible. Sometimes you're going to have bad moments. But in this story, when an employee had one bad moment, their boss' reaction was majorly outsized. Read on for the story.

  • 03
    So why did I scoff at him? Because I was already in the middle of doing something that required my immediate attention (my main job which has a deadline that we have to meet by), and the thing he asked me to do was so small and trivial, but he made it sound like I had to drop my main task at that exact moment to
    via u/Ok_Jicama9306
  • 04
    handle this (I also never said that I wouldn't do it, either. I was just busy in my main task, and I wanted to get it done). Never mind the fact that there were so many other people sitting around who weren't doing anything, and I actually even helped do more than what was originally asked of me (which happens all the
    via u/Ok_Jicama9306
  • 05
    time). I'm just tired of the double- standard that's set on me, while others get to sit around on their phones and nobody rails against them for their "bad attitude”.
    via u/Ok_Jicama9306
  • 06

    Commenters came in with ideas about what they should do.

    robmneilson · 1d ago Polish that resume, get a better job, leave without notice.
    via u/robmneilson
  • 07
    jamnajar. 1d ago Ask them if they would like you to do the new task knowing it may prevent you from completing your primary task. Then go with what you are told but document it to cover your bt. If you have a supervisor or manager, keep them in the loop.
    via u/jamnajar
  • 08
    crujones43 • 22h ago I'm always: which is priority? Because doing B may interfere with the timeliness for A. Let them make the decision.
    via u/crujones43
  • 09
    Cheezburger Image 10517911552
    via Unsplash+ (Getty Images)

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

  • 10
    WhitePinoy 1d ago • Hello OP, it honestly sounds like your boss pulled you aside and verbally abused you as a power trip. I think what happened was you're probably one of the few people who have ever said no to him or shut him down for any reason, and in response you injured his ego, and he feels the need to punish you for that.
    via u/WhitePinoy
  • 11
    You should also find a new job, assuming this situation just escalates from here. Remember, your boss is the one with the bad attitude. He's picking on you because you aren't always a people pleaser. Which is good.
    via u/WhitePinoy
  • 12
    Ok_Jicama9306 OP. 1d ago Well, I didn't say no to him. I just sighed or moaned (I still did the task). I've talked with another supervisor about it, and asked them if they thought!!! it was power tripping, and they didn't think so. Idk.
    via u/Ok_Jicama9306
  • 13
    BigCaterpillar8001 23h ago • Supervisors always side with supervisors
    via u/BigCaterpillar8001
  • 14
    NatashOverWorld 19h ago • Supervisors are selected to be supervisors because they'll gaslight you and support management. They aren't on your side because thats part of their job, unless, its making the company lose money.
    via u/NatashOverWorld
  • 15
    • WhitePinoy ⚫ 23h ago Your coworkers most likely won't validate your bad experiences. It's very rare for another employee to call out or even acknowledge if an employer is abusing their power or being a bad leader. Because they know they could lose their job by hopping onto the wrong bus.
    via u/WhitePinoy
  • 16
    If you feel that it's unreasonable and unfair to you, and I feel like based on what you've described that it is, you don't need to deal with that. Either they will stop abusing you over trivial things or you will find your next job.
    via u/WhitePinoy
  • 17
    erikleorgav2 • 23h ago Sounds similar to me as a Project Manager at my last job. My priorities were specific, and numerous. The owner/my boss was 100% clueless. When I told him what the priorities were, he wasn't especially happy with the answer.
    via u/erikleorgav2
  • 18
    dislob3 20h ago • Your boss is a bu y and bu ies need to feel like everyone is scared of them. Your "problem" probably is the fact that youre not willing to put up with his so he tried to bring you bulls down.
    via u/dislob3
  • 19
    I had bosses like that. My personality isnt the type to kiss boots. It can be a clash wigh some employers.
    via u/dislob3
  • 20
    FrizzySk8te 18h ago • I've got a boss like this.. I feel he tries to fill a hole that isn't there. We are a small, intimate office yet he behaves like we are a large corporation.
    via u/FrizzySk8te
  • 21
    The_Westerner · 16h ago • This was me at my last job. It only gets worse from here on out. Start job shopping. Your boss is a
    via u/The_Westerner
  • 22
    . Select_Necessary_678 15h ago Nothing fixes an attitude worse than someone cornering you and chewing your al out.
    via u/Select_Necessary_678
  • 23
    marcocanb. 14h ago "OK sure if you really want me to drop this thing I'm doing with a deadline that will mean half the profits for the company this year don't get realized I will happily go deal with your menial "important" task. I'm going to need that in writing though."
    via u/marcocanb
  • 24
    julioqc 4h ago . you care too much, leave
    via u/julioqc

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boss antiwork workplace-stories toxic-workplace job bosses work coworkers working reddit story toxic-boss workplace reddit thread bad bosses Reddit toxic-work-environment
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