Senior executive abruptly fired after he tried to transfer employee to his department just to assert his authority: 'I’ve asked Head Office to transfer you to my site. Then I’ll see how you refuse me'

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Ben Weiss • Writer and Editor
Jul 23, 2025 4:00 PM EDT

It should come as no surprise that some bosses are in it for the wrong reasons. Those who have risen the ranks at their respective companies ideally should have done so because of their qualifications and their knack for leadership. A genuine interest in what they're doing and a desire to inspire confidence and passion in others are certainly other benefits to being a good manager as well. 

However, we have all come to learn the hard way that not every employer has a strong combination of these attributes. In fact, you're lucky as an employee if you have a boss with just one of these qualities. Most folks end up having to endure the consequences of managers with big egos, major insecurity complexes, and other poor leadership skills.

This author had the audacity to tell a senior executive "no" when he heeded to hear it. What transpired after this encounter was a full-blown attempt on the part of the executive to get this employee transferred to his department, just so he could remind him who's in charge. Can you imagine being so insecure that you feel the need to upend the entire organizational structure of your company just to assert dominance over someone several ranks below you? Talk about a wounded ego!

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    Cheezburger Image 10533118464
    via Unsplash+ (Getty Images)

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

  • Thankfully, the author was in the good graces of other folks who were high up in the company and who were well aware of this senior executive's leadership issues. As soon as the author raised his concerns over what happened and what the executive's new plans were to one of the company's VPs, swift changes were made and the executive's future at the company was immediately put in jeopardy.

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    This was almost a decade ago. I was kinda a fresher, barely a year into my job. Engineer by designation, but for some reason,
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    I was also made in-charge of the company guesthouse. It was in the same campus as our office, and reserved for senior executives visiting for work.
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    One such visit came from the Head of Projects. A senior fella. Very full of himself. He asked me to block the guesthouse for an upcoming meeting. I checked. It was already occupied. I told him that, politely and professionally.
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    That was it. That's all I said. But apparently, that bruised his ego.
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    Next month, he came again for another meeting. This time, stayed at the guesthouse. The meeting was routine. The day passed. And when we were alone, he looked at me and said,
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    "I've asked Head Office to transfer you to my site. Then I'll see how you refuse me."
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    Cheezburger Image 10533119232
    via Unsplash+ (Getty Images)

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

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    Apparently he praised me at Head Office, highlighted my performance and pitched for me to be transferred to his site. Not because he respected my work,
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    but because he wanted power over me. All because I didn't give him a month. room the previous
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    Thankfully, I had a good rapport with one of the VPs, someone who'd seen my work firsthand. He was in the same meeting. I quietly told him what had happened. He just said, "Don't worry about it."
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    Two months later, I heard that as***le Head of Projects was let go. The "official story" was that he resigned. But someone had told me that he was actually fired. I called the site to cross-check. Yep. "He left."
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    To this day, I don't know if it was my complaint that triggered it or if he pulled some other crop that finally got him thrown out. Karma is a b !
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    Cheezburger Image 10533119744
    via Unsplash+ (Getty Images)

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

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    Scotstarr 2h ago He clearly was on his last legs with upper management and this absolutely d less stunt with you was the final straw for them.... Well, for him really! What a c
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    Batman0890 OP · 2h ago • Yeah. Later I got to know that his site didn't show the progress that was expected. Although there were many reasons for that.
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    . Wakemeup3000 • 2h ago Guess that power trip turned into a one way ticket out of the company for him. Good that you had people who were willing to watch out for you.
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    Batman0890 OP · 2h ago • I know. I got lucky. It started with head HR, he really liked my work and conveyed the same in Head Office. So I got a good reputation on which I could bank.
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    badmind88.45m ago I'd look him up. LinkedIn is good for that. "Want me to reserve the company guesthouse? Oh right, you've been let go! Aww, looks like someone's not as powerful as he thinks he is. <muttley snicker>"
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    Batman0890 OP 18m ago Nah! I've moved on. The past looks good where it belongs.
    via Batman0890

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getting fired corporate workplace-stories employee fired work stories toxic-workplace job fired story work toxic-boss overworked-employees Horrible Bosses company toxic-work-environment
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