I work for a large organisation, who have offices throughout the UK. I've always got on really well with the Managing Director, purely on a business level and have no intentions otherwise, as I think he could have potential to be a narcacist. He often makes comments like "my body's a temple", "They wouldn't dare challenge me", he has no empathy for other people and i've een told he had called some staff fat..
My MD did however say to my once, that we get along really well and perhaps we should go out for a meal sometime. Everything had been great in our working relationship up to this point, but I wasn't sure if he meant purely on a business level and so I just brushed it off and moved the conversation straight on to the agenda of a meeting that was coming up.
I had an excellent probation period review and excellent feedback on my PDR review up-date.
Then we had to pitch a presentation to the board for our annual budget. This was the first time for myself to do something like this. I was a little nervous but my MD seemed full of confidence saying it was going to be a breeze and made a joke that if it goes wrong, we'll make a quick exit piggyback style.
During the pitch I did most of the talking, even answering the boards questions as my MD surprisingly just sat there, despite there being plenty of opportunity for him to speak. This was obviously noticed by the members of the board, because one of them turned around to my MD and said to him "so why are you here X?, what have you contributed to this meeting?". This vexed my MD who voiced in the car on the way back that the board member was extremely disrespectful of him and he would definitely be putting him in his place next week.
A couple of months later the board then introduced a weekly conference call requiring all Managing Directors to attend and discuss weekly performance. My MD turned around 10 minutes before the call, saying he felt unwell and told me to do the board call on his behalf.
I felt way out of place, these were all high up people who had vast knowledge of the unique industry, which was still relatively new to me. But I was given no choice and told I must take his place. The problem his that he keeps avoiding these weekly calls, making me attend instead of him. And the board have picked up on this, making jokes that my MD is missing in action. This time he decided to attend a routine health and safety meeting instead of the board call, again he insisted that I take his place. But at the start of the call one of the board member said "I see X is missing again, will he be joining the call anytime soon?" I apologised on his behalf, explaining that he was in attendance at another meeting. The board ask what that meeting was and I said I believe it's a health and safety meeting on site. That board member said hold on im going to call him, he must attend these calls. There was no answer so he told me to send somebody to get my MD, which i did. My MD came in looking annoyed and stressed and the board member made a joke of how nice it was that my MD could finally join the call.
After the call, I walked towards the kitchen to get my lunch and a drink. My MD came behind me and in an aggressive tone, shouted my name. I turned around to him, he pointed his finger at me, and screwing up his face, he came right up to mine and shouted "don't you ever do that to me again, I can easily end your job and finish you off" he said you've made me 10 minutes late for another meeting. I told him to leave me alone and that it was best he head straight to the meeting instead of standing here shouting at me. How dare you he shouted again, I pointed to the door and he stormed out.
Others in the office heard him shouting at me and I felt extremely embarrassed. They said the way he speaks to me is disgusting.
I felt extremely upset by how aggressive he was and the threat he made about him ending my job because I don't feel I did anything wrong. I actually think that he is struggling in his position but won't admit it and is taking it out on me. Our working relationship has deteriorated. He doesnt really speak to me now. Would you agree he seems to be taking his inadequacies out on me? Has anyone else been in a similar position and how have you dealt with it?
I can't speak with HR because he has a strong personal relationship with the HR manager and they often meet up outside of work.