A year ago, I worked in the advertising department of a small daily newspaper. My boss, the advertising director, was nuts. We sales reps never knew what to expect from her day to the next. For example, one day she would bound through the office, telling us that we were obviously working hard, revenue was up and we were marvelous sales people. The next day (or in some instances just a few hours later) she would scowl and tell us all that we were lousy sales reps with no professionalism or skill and that she could never accomplish the things she wanted to accomplish with such an inferior sales team.

My boss also liked to pit the five of us sales reps against each other by calling us into her office individually and divulging confidential information about coworkers. She would speak disparagingly, in a language laced with expletives, to us about the publisher and other mid-level managers. She would also encourage us reps to steal one another's accounts. It was awful working in that kind of environment because for the most part, all of us sales reps got along well. I think she resented that.

I worked under her supervision for nearly three years before I was fired for finally speaking up and against her practices. I spoke out after a particular Monday morning sales meeting when my boss announced that we would be getting a new sales manager (a position that came and went with her whims and personnel). I was a little upset to hear this because, after three years and an outstanding record, I was eager to advance and felt I was next in line for promotion. My boss announced that Dave, a guy who worked for the company less than two months in the circulation department and with whom it was speculated she was having an affair, would be our new advertising sales manager. In front of the whole advertising department these words came out of her mouth (I'm not making this up): "Dave has no newspaper or advertising experience, so I want you all to be patient and bear with him while he learns." Huh? My new "manager" has no idea what my job entails? I'm supposed to answer to him? After the meeting, I told my boss that I thought Dave's appointment was ludicrous. Unfortunately (or fortunately, depending on your point of view), I didn't stop there. What was pent up for three years came flowing from my mouth -- my true opinion of her and her management methods. I was fired the next day because, as my boss put it, "I obviously wasn't happy there." An enormous amount of stress and negativity fell off my shoulders as I walked out the door. I have no regrets for having spoken up.

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