My previous boss was fantastic - warm, kind and always giving out praise when people did well. She would thank us for getting through busy periods (sometimes by taking the team out for drinks or bringing in homemade cakes as a thank you) and would regularly pass on good feedback about her staff to her own very senior manager. I felt safe to try new things at work and go outside my comfort zone because she was honest if things weren’t working but always in a kind way. It all made for a wonderful working environment where I felt happy and supported.
Sadly she left earlier this year and I now have a new manager that I’m struggling with. I find her quite intimidating, standoffish and not easy to approach. She is hard to talk to - she makes no effort at reciprocating small talk when you’re in a lift together for example. She never asks about holidays, my kids, anything.
She also never gives out praise, ever - even when I’ve gone above and beyond. A few months ago we had a very important event coming up and I worked some extra hours on a few evenings as unpaid overtime. I love the company and wanted everything to go perfectly. When I mentioned I had done this, thinking she’d be pleased, she essentially told me off, saying I should have spoken to her about it first. I’m sure my face crumpled when she said this, but she didn’t seem to care.
Things go well 99% of the time but when I or others have made mistakes, she is very critical, to the point where I’ve come to really fear getting things wrong. I dread the inevitable email with a telling off appearing in my inbox. Ironically this has made me more prone to making mistakes because I’m constantly on edge.
I feel like the whole culture has changed overnight and whilst I still love the role itself and the company as a whole - so really want to stay - I don’t enjoy working with my manager.
AIBU to think that for managers, praising your staff and making an effort with them is important? And WWYD in my situation?