It’s always a bummer when you find out your boss isn’t happy with you after you’ve give a job your best effort.

But some folks just can’t be pleased!

In today’s story, a worker talked about why the comments her boss made about her caught her by surprise.

Let’s take a look!

Manager made feedback personal — is this fixable or a red flag? Workplace issue.

“I’m a 25F junior attorney at a small boutique law firm.

Structure is owner → manager → me (plus an intern). I originally joined as an intern, left, and was later asked by the owner to come back full-time as the firm grew.

My manager works remotely, while I’m in-office with the owner, so I often receive urgent assignments directly from her that I have to prioritize.

I recently went through a serious medical situation (two surgeries, about a month off).

Oh, no…

Shortly after returning, we had a meeting that I expected to be a normal check-in. Instead, my manager made several personal comments, saying:

I don’t value him

I don’t respect him

I’m not attentive to him

I don’t “care” about him

He also complained that he had to work more while I was on medical leave.

She gave it to him straight.

I tried to stay calm and told him that I’m always open to feedback, but that I need it to be specific and work-related, not about his personal feelings toward me.

I also told him I’m not responsible for how he feels and asked for concrete examples of any actual issues with my performance.

He eventually backed down and apologized, but the whole interaction felt… off.

Additional context:

He frequently emphasizes that he’s been at the firm “since the beginning,” which sometimes comes across as diminishing others’ contributions.

I regularly work extra hours, but not all my work flows through him, so it’s not always visible.

When I deprioritize his assignments, it’s usually because the owner has given me something more urgent.

There’s a pattern of him being difficult with junior women — previous interns have quit after conflicts with him.

She’s not sure what to do next.

I like my job and see long-term potential, and the owner has expressed that she wants me to stay. However, I’m not sure how workable this dynamic is.

Is this something that can realistically be improved with clearer boundaries and communication, or is this a sign of a deeper issue in leadership/dynamics that won’t change?

Am I overreacting by reconsidering my position here?”

Let’s see what folks on Reddit had to say about this.

This person had a lot to say.

Another reader weighed in.

And this Reddit user shared their thoughts.

These two are definitely not on the same page!

If you enjoyed this story, check out this post about a man who left his corporate job expecting to return to his former company, but wasn’t offered his old job back.