Signs Your Boss is Threatened By You

We’d like to believe our manager has our best interest at heart. However, in some organizations, there may be a bad boss in the mix. If you’ve noticed your relationship with your boss has been strained, it might be that they’re threatened by you. Here are 7 signs your boss is threatened by you. 

1. You’re Projects Change (for the Worse)

In some instances, your boss will change your projects because they trust you to tackle the tough problems. If you’ve noticed that your projects have changed for the worse with no explanation, it could be a sign your boss is threatened by you. 

Typically, toxic bosses will try to change your projects so that you’re working on things that are out of your area of expertise. Eventually, you’re set up for failure, and your boss blames you for your poor performance.

2. Your Name Doesn’t Come Up

Teams are often recognized when they accomplish something big. If your boss recognizes the team, and your name doesn’t come up, that’s a sign your boss is threatened by you. 

In the situation of recognition, your boss will try to downplay any positive exposure you receive. Their motive is to downplay your success to reclaim the “top performer” status on their team. 

3. Your Opinion is Silenced

When you have a great thought or idea in a meeting and your boss shoots it down, it’s a sign your boss is threatened by you. This is especially true if you’re in meetings with executives. 

Your boss will always try to regain the authority in the meeting, and they will silence your opinion if they see you as smarter than them. 

4. You’re Labeled as Difficult

Another sign your boss is threatened by you is if they label you difficult. Typically, employees are called difficult when they don’t do exactly what their boss says. 

In some cases, an employee will function in the most strategic and innovative way… but if you boss micromanages you and you don’t comply, you will be labeled as difficult. 

5. You Received Formal Action Against You

If you were once a high performer and now you have a performance improvement plan, that’s not by mistake. Your boss is most likely taking you off projects within your realm of expertise and is setting you up to fail. 

Once you fail, they can take formal action against you. It’s another sign your boss is threatened by you. 

6. You’re Feeling Stuck

Some bad bosses will try to limit your mobility and growth. If you’ve felt intentionally stifled or held down, that might be a sign your boss is threatened by you. 

Bosses will limit your upward mobility and growth if they feel you might become a threat to them in the future. This move is designed to get you out of the organization without needing to fire you. 

7. Other Execs Stay Away From You

Lastly, your network might be shrinking suddenly. What might be happening is that your boss is talking negatively about you to other executives. 

If your boss is trying to distance you from other execs, it might be a sign that your boss is threatened by you. 

Related:

• Signs Your Boss Wants to Promote You
• How to Talk to Your Boss About Career Growth
• Dealing with a Toxic Manager (Your Toxic Boss Survival Guide)
• Making a Career Change Successfully in 2020
• 3 Strategies to Finding Your Strengths (Fast)