Manager demands key employee keep quiet during project meeting, gets caught out by vice president's questions: 'She didn't want anyone else getting any recognition'

Author image for Ally Perry
Ally Perry • Writer and Editor
Dec 2, 2025 9:00 PM EST

A manager who cares more about their status than their employees is often not that good at their job.

It is only natural for anyone to want to present themselves as best as they can in their workplace, and some roles are a lot more competitive than others. Nonetheless, a key part of being the boss of other people is bringing out the best in these employees, and not just making themselves look good. It is considered a step up in responsibility on multiple levels. 

Unfortunately, that does not stop many of those who occupy managerial positions from trying to take all the credit from those who already have less status. When there are targets to hit and bonuses in sight, there are a lot of bosses who will happily throw their colleagues under the bus for the sake of trying to look good. The one upside of this is that it can easily backfire.

Add as a preferred
source on Google
Advertisement
  • a group of businesspeople sat around a table in a meeting room, with a man in glasses standing up and speaking
    via Getty Images (Unsplash+)

    Image is representative only and does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • In this story, a manager was upset when one of their employees was included in status update meetings by the vice president because it was known that they were playing an important role in a current project. She wanted more attention to be paid to her.

    As a result, she ordered this employee to stay silent in the meetings that they were invited to. They complied to the letter, meaning that when she was asked about information that only the employee knew about, she was unable to answer. They were invited to participate in future meetings.

  • Sure; I’ll keep my mouth shut

    This happened years ago but it still makes me grin, Grinch-style.
    via VisionAri_VA
  • I was working on a really big project at the time. The VP was aware that I was the main resource on the project, so he included me in the status meetings.
    via VisionAri_VA
  • a group of businesspeople sat or stood around a table in a meeting room, looking at something on the table
    via Getty Images (Unsplash+)

    Image is representative only and does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • My manager did NOT like that; she didn't want anyone else getting any kind of recognition for the project. so I was instructed to sit there and keep my mouth shut.
    via VisionAri_VA
  • The next status meeting came around and I did just what she told me to do: I sat there, taking notes and saying nothing... right up until the VP started asking questions about project details, which she couldn't answer
    via VisionAri_VA
  • because she was the only person attached to the project who did not actually *work* on the project. She was furious but what could she do?
    via VisionAri_VA
  • After that disaster, I was allowed to attend *and* participate.
    via VisionAri_VA
  • persons Highlight what stands out in a first User Persona Features White Associations o sincerity, o purty o cleanness, o simplicity hygiene, o dorty, peace you de obout the sho Industries 1. Associations Oweness o medione Website Inspiration Survey toys, o ingenie 2. Industries 610 fost food That's 3 ordes so colour What top 3 colours have the mod en or counting both associations and outre oftness 3. Record o fitness a lo oftness, o digital, a bu france, o heath, a tech 4. Adjust Consistency is
    via 2H Media
  • Frogsama86 I was put on a project to provide field related assistance. Guy in charge was not happy, and sent an email to keep my opinions to myself(had not even said anything yet). A few weeks later I noticed that his draft had some flaws. I said
    via Frogsama86
  • nothing and it ended up costing 15k to rectify. Department head who put me on the project asked if I saw it, to which I confirmed. Showed him the guy's email and the head ripped the guy a new one.
    via Frogsama86
  • robjeffrey I have seen this play out as a third party in many project meetings. It's very clear to everyone what is going on and I love sharing a smile with the actual silent adult in the room.
    via robjeffrey
  • CoderJoe1 Either her mind reading failed or your telepathic communication is on the fritz.
    via CoderJoe1
  • Imaginary-Yak-6... I've had this happen me too. Just sat there with my shut. I'm a community manager for an apartment complex $ have been in this industry for almost 20 years. I've been at my current site for almost 12 years. I know a little bit. I try to help as much as I can when asked. But...
    via Imaginary-Yak-6...
  • Sometimes a new regional comes in not knowing a damn thing about what's going on or even trying to learn about their own portfolio, site staff & treating us like 5 yr olds in a condescending, patronizing way. Plus, they have never been a site manager. Fuck em, I let them drown on their own. Those types usually don't last long. Edit to correct spelling of complex.
    via Imaginary-Yak-6...
  • BrainWaveCC I had a related situation to this one. I had a relatively new boss in a merged org, who was a huge gatekeeper for everything that pertained to the part of the org they had been from.
    via BrainWaveCC
  • They were quite successful in keeping me away from any contact with key players in that part of the org -- in fairness, I wasn't trying to do more work if no one wanted me to do more work. Then they were away from work from one full month, and in that time, people who had needs decided to reach out to me for them to be handled.
    via BrainWaveCC
  • They liked my support so much, that even after my manager returned, more than 80% of the people still came to me directly for support. It was glorious (for me).
    via BrainWaveCC
  • Flicksterea I've had similar experiences wherein a business leader wanted to look knowledgeable and specified to me that she would handle the Q&A with a potential new client.
    via Flicksterea
  • Idiot woman couldn't answer their questions. I could have but she was very specific about my not answering. I still laugh about this years later!
    via Flicksterea
  • k8sGrillMaster I've had this exact same situation but the manager asked me during the meeting 'hey ..., can you answer this question?' and I just said 'nah, I don't want to get in trouble's Not a month later the person called in sick and never came back
    via k8sGrillMaster
  • likeablyweird Was your manager punished in any way by VP? That would've been glorious. Or was it a lesson for her and she became more knowledgeable about projects in her queue? What if every time the VP heard her name attached to a project, he asked to speak to the people who were Really doing the job. Hehe.
    via likeablyweird

Want More? Follow Us and Add Us as a Preferred Source on Google.

Tags

boss employee manager job malicious compliance meeting work coworkers workplace reddit thread Reddit
Scroll Down For The Next Article