In the team I work in we had a manager (Ella) who was terrible, she pitted everyone against each other, took credit for work…and because of that false credit, she got promoted to HQ.
Another Manager (Amy) works for HQ but sits close to us in the UK office. One day a few weeks ago she joins our team for lunch and then mentions Ella. Me and my colleague exchange a look and Amy starts pressing us to tell her “what that was about”.
I said it was nothing, brushed her off complelty, but she continued to hound me and my colleague all day to tell her if there was something wrong with that manager. My colleague eventually said OK and told her the reason why we aren't Ella's biggest fans, nothing untrue was said and Amy acted very sympathetic, and even added in her own complaints.
Yesterday the head of our department pulled my colleague into his office and told her, “Just to let you know, Amy came to me and asked why my employees where openly bad mouthing Ella, I think she was looking for gossip, but I told her my employees are entitled to have an opinion and I don't care what they said and shut it down…but from now just be more careful around what you say around her”.
I can't get over how she persuaded someone to tell their opinion and then tried using that to get them in trouble….for no reason, this lady is completely unrelated to us, and frankly If we spread what she said she would be in a terrible position, but we aren't terrible people.
No resolution here, other than we love our boss, and are giving this lady the cold shoulder.
TL;DR Manager forces gossip out of employee, then goes to boss to ask why employee was badmouthing someone with the intention of gaining more gossip…but throwing employee completely under the bus, not caring what would happen to her.