From glowing feedback to undermining: Why has my boss turned on me?

October 8, 2026 — 2:00pm

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Some time ago, my manager gave me glowing feedback in a formal check-in; there were no concerns raised at all. More recently, things have shifted – they got a lot more hands-on, started overriding decisions and stepping into my work tasks in ways that felt like I was being undermined, rather than supported.

It got to a point where I genuinely questioned whether I was still needed in my own role, and asked my manager directly whether I was being pushed out. They were defensive and said that was just their job as a manager.

At my most recent formal review I got a low rating that cited issues my manager never raised with me directly – no coaching conversations, no heads-up, nothing.

Is it normal for a rating like this to show up out of nowhere? What am I entitled to ask for in terms of evidence or examples behind the rating? I’m already worried about now having a target on my back.

I think this is a really odd case, and so does Professor Denise Jepsen, whose opinion I sought........

© Brisbane Times