Higher-ups reject employee's work pitch for years, then expect them to leave a 'plan' detailing the idea after they put in their two weeks: ‘I'd re-pitch the idea, every year, nothing moved’

Author image for Lana DeGaetano
Lana DeGaetano • "Show me to me please."
Jul 16, 2025 1:00 PM EDT

When you're not at the top of the corporate food chain, it feels like you're a ghost. Every plea for participation goes unnoticed, every idea is stolen, and every boss is unimpressed. Once an employee realizes that no matter what they do, they will never be taken seriously as a professional in their current company, that's when they stop having any shmucks to give. A resignation party is imminent, followed by a "I never liked any of you anyway."

Devotion doesn't go a long way if you're managed by C-suite executives who can only worry about whether their hair gel is prim and proper atop their big heads. I digress (only a little) because not every boss is bad—mine is living proof—but not everyone is so lucky.

In this next story, an employee puts in their two-week notice after years of feeling underappreciated in their role. There simply isn't anything left for them at their company. Upper management, however, expects them to leave a "detailed plan" of the work pitch that was previously denied time and time again by higher-ups, before they leave for good. Nice try, but you're not going to get away with intellectual theft. Scroll below to read the entire story.

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  • "I've warned my boss that if I'm pressed to provide something, I'll simply resign effective immediately."
    via Getty Images For Unsplash+

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

  • "I gave my notice and now my employer wants a detailed plan for an idea I had years ago but they never acted on."

    I am leaving a job I had for 8 years due to problems at the leadership level. Our senior management team has become ineffective, hostile and full of
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  • nepotism (one third of the senior team is all from the same family). A lot of our best employees have left this year - there are major problems. My immediate boss and I are on good terms, and she understands why I'm leaving.
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  • Years ago, I pitched an idea for a sort of ad campaign that was well-received by leadership, but never acted on. While they liked the idea, they never free'd up
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  • budget for us. Never got us resources we needed. It never moved. Every year, I'd re-pitch the idea, every year, nothing moved. "Great idea, great initiative, but no."
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  • RESIGNATION
    via Getty Images For Unsplash+

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

  • Fast forward and I have only a few days left to go (and that, as I told my boss, is simple courtesy - I am financially stable enough to walk off the job immediately if I
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  • wanted to, and my new job waiting in the wings, but I'm playing nice) and all of a sudden folks up the chain are coming to me, asking for a plan, material and storyboards for the campaign idea I had.
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  • I've been told (as always) to "not burn bridges" and just give my bosses something, but I refuse. They had ample time to support the idea previously, but now they
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  • see me on the way out and it feels like they are trying to grab something from me that I am simply not inclined to give them anymore. They would launch a
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  • successful campaign on my idea, I would see zero benefits, and someone else would likely take the victory lap and I wouldn't be
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  • there to say "hey that was my idea" (my boss is lovely, but a pushover, and I would not trust her to say anything once I'm gone).
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  • My boss tells me to just play nice and show them what I had in mind (they could have taken. detail notes during my old
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  • pitches, but surprise nobody thought to write anything down!), but I feel like this is a last-minute pickpocket on my way out the door.
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  • I've warned my boss that if I'm pressed to provide something, I'll simply resign effective immediately.
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  • I'm not one to burn a bridge, but our hostile leaders have made it difficult enough to keep my mouth shut and leave gratefully
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  • as it is, I am not dealing well with the last minute order to provide them something on my way out. Is this a hill to di on?
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  • HotelDisastrous288 "Given the lack of support when I pitched the idea I did not keep any documentation."
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  • Honestly405 Sorry, with my time left I do not have the capacity to do this work. End.
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  • PoolExtension 5517 "What I had in mind 8 years ago is no longer relevant given the current state of the market. I simply don't have time to create a whole new concept."
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  • They're most likely trying to document your idea as company IP so you can't use it with a competitor after you leave. I would respectfully decline.
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  • BCSully Yes. You owe them nothing, and they have no leverage. Save it, and maybe use it at a future job.
    via BCSully
  • bstrauss3 "8 years ago? I've slept since then. Can you give me some clue about what you are talking about out?" Then tell them you will need to think about whatever they give you. And take a nap. "Sorry, nothing comes back to me."
    via bstrauss3

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boss workplace-stories toxic-workplace work i quit reddit story horrible-management workplace Horrible Bosses reddit thread quitting entitled people toxic-work-environment
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