“She Got Fired”: 30 Stories Of Satisfying Workplace Revenge

To find out how this conversation started in the first place, we reached out to Reddit user Relevant_Grape_4106, who invited readers to share stories of how they stood up to their bosses without getting fired. First, we wanted to know what inspired them to start this thread.

"I have a friend that was confiding in me about their workplace and how stressful it was due to their boss being toxic by being manipulative and gaslighting," they shared. "There was nothing that I could suggest for them that my friend could do, as they have a completely different job to me, so I wouldn’t know how to handle their situation."

So the author reached out to Reddit to find out if anyone else was facing a similar situation. "I had no idea that the question would have that many people contributing to my post to tell their story, which is quite sad in a sense, since it appears to be such a common thing for people who are only just trying to get by in some cases, as well as considering those who work a 9-5 job where most of their waking hours, they’re having to put their emotional and mental health in jeopardy for it," they told Bored Panda.

The OP also shared that, luckily, they've never had to stand up to a toxic boss like this. "I’m very fortunate to have a job where I’m surrounded by a wonderful team and people to work with," they shared. "So thankfully, it hasn’t been the case where I had to confront a superior. The colleagues I work with are very supportive with each other and in any way they can be."

The author also noted that they didn't think this was such a common issue until they made this post. "Looking at the number of responses I got, I appear to be wrong, sadly. I just think those who are in superior management need to realize that when their employees are working well under their management and care, there’s less of a chance of employees leaving the workplace and more of a chance of the workplace flourishing because everyone contributes to that, especially those that are working at the very foundation of the job, as well as what I mentioned prior about the mental and emotional health aspect of it all," they shared.

And as far as what the OP thought of the replies to their post, they thought they were very insightful. "I particularly appreciated the replies where people were able to stand their ground and not lose their integrity for something that a superior had a personal issue with, for example," they shared. "As well as the few that were smart enough to play the UNO-reverse card onto their superiors to realize the consequences of their actions!"

To gain more insight on this topic, we reached out to Dr. Liane Davey, author of The Good Fight. She was kind enough to have a chat with Bored Panda and discuss the issue of toxic bosses.

"Many employees report having a toxic boss, but the situations fall into three categories," Dr. Davey shared. "The first category includes the horrible managers out there who are doing considerable damage. Some of them are unskilled or incapable of doing their job effectively. Their disorganization, lack of planning, or inability to provide coaching make it incredibly difficult for you to be successful."

"Other toxic bosses lack self-awareness of how their behaviors (such as yelling or criticizing) affect you," she continued. "Sadly, the more intimidating the boss, the less likely you will tell them what harm they’re doing. On the other end of the spectrum, let’s not forget the risk of a toxicly positive boss. Those managers will not allow negative comments and insist on pretending that everything is great even when it’s not."

"A second category includes managers who are unfairly labeled toxic. Sure, they might be annoying, micro-managing, demanding, or dismissive, but they aren’t hazardous to your health," Dr. Davey explained.

"A third category I would refer to as toxic managerial relationships. Often, I hear employees complaining about their managers and how the manager doesn’t like them or how they are disrespectful, but when I watch them interact, it’s clear to me that the employee has created an unhealthy and inaccurate narrative about the boss’ behavior or attitudes," the expert says. "You should be careful about the labels you use because not all toxic bosses are created equal."

We also asked Dr. Davey if she had ever worked in an unhealthy environment. "Early in my career, I had a boss whom I experienced as toxic. I tried to stand up to her, but I didn’t do a good job of it," she shared. "I told her my team was burning out and we needed to do things differently, but nothing I tried seemed to work."

"Our relationship got so unhealthy for me that I ended up quitting. Looking back now, I realize how I owned some of what went wrong, and if I’d done a better job of expressing my concerns, it might have played out differently," the expert told Bored Panda. "Fortunately, I haven’t had a toxic boss since then, partly because I was careful which jobs I took, and partly because I got more skilled at managing up."

We also asked Dr. Davey for advice on how employees can stand up to toxic bosses without losing their jobs. "You need to be very careful and willing and ready at any moment to back down if that’s what’s required to save your job," she noted. "But when you’re ready, ask for a private meeting when you have time to share your concerns."

"Rather than giving your superior feedback, which might cause defensiveness, try sharing candidly with them what you’re experiencing, show how you’ve taken accountability, and ask for what you think would make things better," Dr. Davey recommends. "For example, you might say, 'I am finding that I can’t accomplish my workload within the week. I have implemented some new time management strategies, and I am still finding that I have to work for an additional 2-4 hours in the evenings or on weekends. Could you prioritize my tasks so I know what can wait until the following week?'"

"If asking your boss to change doesn’t work, you can ask for help from others in positions of power in your organization," the expert continued. "Be sure not to complain about your manager, but it’s okay to share objectively what you’re experiencing and to ask for advice or coaching about what you might do to improve your relationship. It’s essential to keep a toxic boss situation in perspective. So, while you’re working to improve the situation, seek support from colleagues and friends who can remind you of your talents and worth as a person."