Incompetent manager is exposed by employee who maliciously complies with their orders.
The incompetence in manager positions should make you realize that you're doing incredible work, and anybody that tells you otherwise is trying to hide their mediocre work. Make sure you document your work and always have examples ready if somebody tries to complain about your quality of work.
On a popular Reddit thread in the Malicious Compliance Subreddit, an employee gets the better of an incompetent manager who tried to say their work was inadequate.
They write:
I recently resigned from a toxic workplace as a data analyst at a start-up. It was promising at the start, but not long after, I noticed many red flags, including my manager's lack of data analysis or management experience before being promoted.
How can you manage analysts without knowing basic Excel functions? I ignored those red flags and trusted her leadership because I liked the company's goals (little did I know this would be the worst decision ever).
I did all the work for the team for the whole year I was there. When I ran the numbers for reporting and analysis of team performance, she always asked me to dumb it down so she could present it to high-level management. I thought everything was going well because I only got good feedback from her and the rest of the team.
About a month ago, a coworker I don't get along with made an untrue complaint about me. The manager believed it without investigating, and suddenly I was placed on a PIP (Performance Improvement Plan). She spouted all types of lies to HR, and when I refuted those claims with written evidence, they doubled down and started gaslighting me ('you're just too negative').
I refused to sign and was threatened with termination, so I complied and started building a case against them. I knew she was doing the PIP to terminate me as she looked for internal candidates to replace me secretly because she was dumb enough to set the meeting up beside me. Once I signed my contract for a new job, I did f*ck all and started working from home.
Before my resignation, she asked me to do some reporting for her, so I ran the numbers and sent her the raw data, told her where the files were located, and that she could analyze the data and make the presentation herself. Since she's the data analyst manager, she should know how to do it.
She tried reporting me for that, but it ultimately backfired because they asked her if my work was wrong, and she was forced to admit she didn't know what she was looking at. Everything else in the team was questioned, and I believe an external investigator is now auditing them. Credibility destroyed.
I'm now working for a competent manager with clear goals for the team, but that was a hell of a ride. A small win against toxic management - but a win is a win.
The internet is always here for a 'W.'
cabird78 says:
Good thing the data doesn't lie, unlike your former boss. I bet she’s now googling 'Excel functions for beginners.'
Xenoun says:
Technically you don't need to be able to work a role to be able to manage people doing that role; it's common in many industries. However, it also requires management and leadership skills they didn't have.
tylothon85 says:
Ultimate revenge would've been getting on as a data analyst for the investigation team that investigates your ex employer to put them under.
OP, good on you! You should apply for your old manager's job when she inevitably gets fired.