I think my boss is scared of me - should I call it out?

[CaponeOnTax]

My boss is very able and experienced but not a massive people person so we’re a small team. We’re each other’s key colleague. What’s bothering me is my boss seems to dread being in a room one-to-one with me. I don’t know if it is weird or AIBU to think it is weird or what.

Around November my boss took me into a meeting room to give me what he thought was a dressing down (closed door). It didn’t go well, I had plenty to say from my side and HR ended up involved. After that, any meetings he instigated were either with the door open or in weird places round the office without doors, so in open plan. A marked change from previous years of working together.

We’re both mainly WFH so it doesn’t come up much and I thought we’d got through it. But again today we had a meeting and he left the door open. The implication seems to be that I am too unpredictable/toxic/not sure what really? to be in a room with. I find it hurtful, unprofessional and odd but … should I say something?

YABU - he can leave the door open if that’s how he prefers it, everyone’s entitled to feel at ease
YANBU - weird and unprofessional, you need to be able to work in a meeting room in your company’s office with the door shut.

Just because it's illegal, doesn't mean it couldn't happen and if he said he was genuinely afraid of the Op, then it could be used (as surreptitious recordings are allowed in certain circumstances, especially if someone is afraid).

No, it isn't. It is not illegal to tape someone without their knowledge. It may be unlawful to share that recording with someone else. But it is not unlawful to share a transcript of any recording, and in a court of law whether that transcript is admissible as evidence is a decision for the court if it is challenged. Of course, the minute someone tries to bury a recording or a transcript they are effectively admitting that they would really prefer the contents never see the light of day - which is seldom a good look.

FWIIW, I did exactly this - phone by the laptop when talking to my previous manager. My employer were more than pleased not to have to test the law on this because they knew that the disability discrimination and harrassment would look really, really bad. And my union advised that employment tribunals love transcripts of such things, and if the employer disputes the evidence are more than willing to listen to the tapes.