When you are at work, you generally need to do what your boss asks, but there are some obvious limitations to that.

What would you do if your boss volunteered to have you travel to another country when travel is not at all part of your job?

That is the situation that the woman in this story is in, and she is going to refuse to go because she values her time and safety.

Boss tried to sell me to negotiate a better deal

I have a new boss who openly claims he’s not impressed with anyone on the team and doesn’t respect a single one of us.

Is he getting a kickback of some sort?

He wants to buy an unreasonable amount of new licenses for a tool that the current licensees don’t even use.

The vendor emailed a quote this week, and as expected it was exorbitant. He fired back calling them ridiculous and demanding the price be cut in half.

Some people do have to travel for jobs.

In the “spirit of partnership” with the vendor, he offered ME to fly across the planet and deliver a keynote speech at their client event.

Didn’t ask me. Didn’t consider that I don’t do speaking engagements (and I never will). Just offered me and my time against my will.

This is way out of line.

He then went on to BRAG about it in his next meeting, which I wasn’t even part of. My colleagues came out of the meeting asking me about my speaking engagement and my boss still hadn’t even talked with me about it.

I’m in such disbelief.

I don’t know about dehumanizing, but it was rude for sure.

Maybe I’m overreacting a little, but it felt dehumanizing to be used as a bargaining chip without my knowledge.

Not to mention I’m a woman and he’d be sending me, alone, to a very misogynistic country.

A conversation with the boss and HR is certainly in order.

I’m a person with a life. He may not have any respect for any of our work, but I deserve respect as a person.

It seems like there is some sort of misunderstanding when it comes to her role at the company, and that needs to be straightened out right away.

Let’s see what the people in the comments have to say about it.

Documenting everything is important.

Well, this would certainly get her fired.

Yup, sometimes you just tell people no.

He could be trying to guilt her into going.

This person thinks she is being set up for failure.

Looks like it is time for a meeting with HR.

If you liked this post, check out this story about an employee who got revenge on a co-worker who kept grading their work suspiciously low.