To blank my ex-manager

[xmaswoes6]

I work for a company of about 250 people in size and have been there about four years. Unfortunately I had a toxic manager for the last 18 months. She would subtly undermine me in numerous ways and it really knocked my confidence and made me feel quite anxious. Fortunately an internal role came up in another department recently and I was able to transfer. My new manager is lovely. However, I walk past my old manager in the office every now and then and she insists on saying hello, despite the fact she essentially pushed me out of my old role. AIBU just to ignore her?

I like this idea!

And this

@Getdne good for you. Yes, I’ve kept notes.

At the end of the day it comes down to this. What will protect your mental health? If you think ignoring her protects it, great.
If spelling it out makes you feel better, go for it.
But the fact is it's not going to help bottling things up

Erm, she's at work so actually, bottling it up is by far the best plan if she wants to keep her job.

Protecting her mental health by ignoring her ex manager whilst on work premises is a shockingly bad idea.

It is always best to remain professional and remember you are at work, not the school playground.

Approach with a giant smile on your face. When she speaks, drop the smile and give either a straight faced nod in her direction or a flat “hi” and keep moving. Once past her plaster the smile on again. Anyone else watching will see the difference in your attitude, but it doesn’t give her any ammunition for HR.

Brisk hello and keep on walking

You're not doing this for her sake. You're doing this for you to demonstrate to colleagues / employer that you know how to behave in the workplace, even if your ex manager doesn't

Be the better person. Polite hello and move on.

Blanking someone in a work context (actually in most contexts) is unprofessional and would make you come over as petty and immature. Which, as an outsider, would make me wonder whether your ex manager had a point in getting you to move on.

Smile, nod, never be heard to say a bad word about her, but never stop for a chat - always be running somewhere when you see her.

I had similar. Right nasty bitch. I moved internally and was managing a new team. She reached out needing help from my team. Yeah, over my dead body. Professional response was unfortunately we have a number of key deadlines at the moment and I'm not able to spare anyone to assist.

No it's not. You can keep a professional stance but still keep the problem at arms length.

Feel victorious every time you see her and give her a little victory smile and a slightly pointed stare. You can’t be criticised for this. She’ll feel uncomfortable but won’t be able to put her finger on why.

Just nod.
You will store up trouble for yourself in the future if you blank her.

No one likes being forced out but it seems to have worked out well for you. You like your new manager and I assume you’re enjoying and flourishing in your new position. I’m not saying you owe her any gratitude but carrying resentment only makes you feel bad, she’s still spoiling your day to that extent.

You do need to reply when she says good morning. Being a rather petty person, I would respond cheerfully but somewhat absentmindedly, as though I’d heard her but had much better things on my mind and I wouldn’t break my stride because I had much better places to be. It’s really dismissive without being at all rude.