Wanted to share my story to see if anyone else can commiserate with good whack-job owner stories.
Here’s my story: For background, I’m a fairly seasoned manager (10+ years). I took a seasonal position with a family-owned business because it sounded fun and challenging, but still within my wheelhouse.
It was an eleven week gig. The first 7 went great, but the last 4 were miserable.
To start, I felt like things were going great! I got along well with all of the employees and actually enjoyed the job. One of the owners even texted me one evening to tell me I was doing a great job. I had only gotten positive feedback and had no indication there was anything that needed improving; I was super excited to finish the season on a good note.
Fast forward to four weeks before the end of our season….the owners blindsided me with a meeting regarding my performance. They grilled me about “what I do around here” and what an average day looks like for me. I was really confused and hurt by this meeting, as I was working around 45-50 hrs/wk to keep the place running smoothly. I left the meeting feeling gaslit and confused. There was never any follow up or mention to this meeting again.
I spend the last weeks incredibly stressed out and paranoid I’m somehow doing a poor job. At the end of the season they shake my hand, tell me I did a great job, and send me home with wine.
After months of silence, they contact me to let me know they won’t be asking me to return this season with little explanation. Not that they owe me one – it’s their business – but I’m just left scratching my head about how the entire thing had played out.