Like the day my boss through me into a lake. Let me elaborate:

Several years ago, I worked at a large international, luxury auto maker in New Jersey. Needless to say, the men:women ratio was enourmously unbalanced, in favor of men. You can imagine the fashion environment in a car company — yep, tons ‘o logo-ed polo shirts. And the politics and bad sexually explicit jokes, were horrendous.

As I reflect on this bit of history, my boss was a remarkably similar to Michael on The Office. He was a people-pleaser, a manipulator (I suspect a misogynist), a self-described “god’s gift to women” and mostly stupid.

This guy’s attempt a bonding with his group was an annual trip to a local lake, complete with beer and boats…and of course a token baseball cap with the company’s logo. BTW, the guys in our department routinely bonded at least twice a week at a local pub — but on these trips “the girls” got to go.

He hated me so much, at least that’s how I felt at the time. My reviews were never great, he made comments about my clothing, he even made a few personal remarks that were hurtful.

I hate lakes; I think their gross. I am more of an ocean/beach girl. Anyway, the day was progressing as planned, the guys are drinking and trying to manuever the boat we were all on,….brilliant, I know. And, doing cannon balls into the lake. And did I mention the drinking?

I hadn’t really been engaging with these guys; I was completely satisfied to sit in a corner of the boat and read magazines. At some point, my boss said to me, why don’t you go in the water, like the rest of the team, you’re not much of a team player are you?

I’m not a great swimmer, I reply. (The big clue).

I looked back down at the magazine, and no sooner said than done, he and his cronie, another moron from our team, lift me by the feet and arms and toss me overboard. They ignored my pleas for them to stop, they ignored the fact that I don’t swim well, and they had absolutely no concern about whether there were rocks in the lake, on which I could have cracked my skull. I was completely humiliated as my co-workers looked on — and laughed!

It’s just too bad a photo wasn’t taken. Later on, an attorney told me that I would not have a good sexual harassment case in court, unless maybe I could get a class-action going. Is that what it takes? Having as many  women as possible scorned or abused before an attorney or judge will take notice.

I resigned later that year, mostly because going into the office everyday was so demoralizing.

But, what I will say to you is…if you ever experience behavior such as mine, do not do what I did and hold it in or quit. Tell someone in HR right away. No one ever, I repeat EVER has the right to treat you with less than respect and diginity.

I don’t care if it was a car company or for the Queen.

Post from: Blisstree

World’s Worst Boss