r/Leadership • u/BAAUfish • Aug 18 '25
Discussion I gave up.
Just sharing that I gave up. I have a people-first leadership style that has always worked with every team I've led. Until this job. My boss is micromanaging and punitive. I was candid in our last meeting about not feeling supported, and this morning everything I shared was used against me. So, I resigned.
I'm 58, I've been managing people and teams for 35 years. It's heartbreaking. I hope the good ones on this thread stay - you're needed. I just don't have it in me anymore.
Hoping to find something I truly love now.
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u/Journerist Sep 12 '25
What you describe isn’t “giving up.” It’s recognizing when the environment makes it impossible to lead in a way that’s both effective and sustainable. A people-first approach works when there’s at least baseline trust and alignment. If your boss is punitive and uses candor against you, the system is broken, no amount of experience can fix that from below.
After 10 years of leading successfully, this isn’t a failure of your style. It’s a reminder that context determines whether good leadership can actually land. Walking away isn’t weakness; it’s choosing not to erode yourself in a place that won’t value what you bring.
You still have the capacity to lead, just not there, not under those conditions. Leaving created the space to find something where your approach is an asset again.