DEAR MISS MANNERS: For nine years, my husband has worked for a company, part of a large nationwide corporation, where everyone is an “at will” employee. His former boss was compassionate and protective of those he supervised.
Upon that person’s retirement, a younger woman was brought in with almost no experience, and apparently given free reign/total power. This new general manager rules by fear and intimidation (and I surmise that this may stem from a lack of confidence).
Over the past year and a half, she has told most everyone, at every level, that they are “terrible” at their work, even though many have awards from the company that would easily counter that impression. She has fired some, and is in the process of demoting the rest -- placing herself basically in charge of everything. Many have chosen to quit in the midst of this chaos, and ultimately, the clients of the business will stand to suffer the most.
This woman has made it clear that no negative comments about her will be tolerated, even though they may indeed be true. Job loss will be the result, it seems, and she sends spies out to enforce this rule. The similarities to Hitler are uncanny.
I am a highly trained professional in another field, out of this person’s reach. I want to somehow intervene on behalf of those who have been suffering at the hands of this injustice, without putting my own spouse’s job on the line.
GENTLE READER: Even if your contemplated advice related to an area in which you are a publicly recognized expert, even if it did not compare the new management to mass murderers, and even if it is accurate, Miss Manners can say with confidence that it will not be welcome.
The bigger problem is that management will be correct in saying that you have no right to be heard on this particular subject. You lack what the courts call “standing,” by which they mean a direct stake in the situation.
Your husband, by contrast, is free to speak up. This may indeed have consequences for his employment, but at least it will spare him the embarrassment of having to hear what management thinks about any intervention by you.