Oh, we finally got ourselves a middle manager, after over a year of blissful independence, purely so someone could tick the “yes, we have one” box. Never mind that our team handles complex fintech systems with intricate backends and high-risk frontends; our new overseer couldn’t tell you what tech stack we use, how we build, or how anything actually gets shipped.
Instead, we get endless lectures about “empathy” and “psychological safety,” followed by mandatory meetings that accomplish nothing beyond recycling the same tired talking points, while our actual work quietly piles up. Real contributions? Nowhere to be found.
What makes it even more impressive is that about ten years ago, they were in food service, and somehow parlayed a string of small-company roles and a questionable degree into a banking position they seem wildly unqualified for. It’s less “career growth” and more “failing upward with confidence.”
My coworkers have already figured out how to play along and stroke the ego when needed. I just don’t have it in me. And to top it off, the complete lack of effort in their presentation only adds to the whole secondhand embarrassment of being professionally associated with them.