What a situation! Who is the hiring source for this assignment, and what, precisely, is the assignment? I can guess, but it’s pretty interesting.

As it happens, I wrote a short item yesterday that touches on this topic – of someone with problems like this making it so far – that I’ll probably post later this week or next.

I’ll be very interested to see the “film at 11!”

Your post is particularly poignant as I am working on a project that has to do with a serious bullying issue between a top-level executive and that person’s quite-capable staff. It’s a role reversal from your description. The staff is quite understanding and consists of people of the highest character. That trait is not shared by the (relatively new) boss.

My sense of the outcome will be one or more of the following:

1. The boss will, for the first time, deeply recognize the hurtful and harmful impact on the staff. That will lead to a needed change of heart (the head is very astute and clever) and things will change for the better.
2. If #1 doesn’t happen, valuable professional staff will leave.
3. If #1 doesn’t happen, the executive will be fired. But by the time that happens, it’s still possible the company will lose some of the valuable staff members.

There is no corporate policy of any sort prompting or supporting the ugly behavior. It is totally within the purview of the executive to alter the behavior.

And in this case, the work-life balance is only out of kilter because of the leader’s behavior and not because of organizational demands for “more productivity.”

Film at 11.